Rangers kept their season alive with a 2-0 win at Kilmarnock thanks to second-half goals from Ronald de Boer and Shota Arveladze.

With Hibernian having knocked the holders out of the CIS Insurance Cup in a semi-final penalty shoot-out on Thursday night and Celtic so far ahead in the league, the Tennent's Scottish Cup represents the Ibrox club's only realistic hope of silverware this season.

But it may merely be a stay of execution for last year's treble winners as their 'reward' is a quarter-final tie at the home of their Old Firm rivals, who have won the last four derbies.

Alex McLeish's side did manage to banish their penalty hoodoo however - Arveladze's clincher was from the spot.

With so much at stake for the visitors it was imperative they took full advantage of a side that had won just twice in front of their own fans all season.

De Boer fired the ball home in only the first minute but that effort, which was quickly ruled out by a raised flag, was to be Rangers' only on-target shot until Michael Ball sent a free- kick bouncing into Francois Dubourdeau's hands a few minutes before the break.

There had been goalscoring chances at both ends, however, but those involved ended up hitting woodwork rather than netting.

Killie midfielder Martin Hardie was the first to be denied when he met a Garry Hay cross from the right with a thumping volley that had Stefan Klos beaten.

That rebounded off the crossbar and the goalkeeper had recovered in time to get behind Eric Skora's follow-up shot after Killie had fought to gain control of the loose ball.

De Boer was the man guilty of missing Rangers' only clear-cut chance of the first 45 minutes - and he managed to do it twice.

Dubourdeau had been taken out of the picture by Nuno Capucho's delicate chip but the Dutchman, whose twin brother Frank was missing from the 16 following his decisive penalty shoot-out miss, succeeded only in heading against an upright.

That looked like being only a momentary let-off for the home side as the ball bounced straight back to de Boer but, as defenders converged, he blasted wastefully over from six yards out.

Killie had been forced to make a change before the game was 20 minutes old when captain Gary Locke came off worse in a collision with Capucho and had to be replaced by rookie Rhian Dodds, who was booked for a foul on Ball four minutes before the break.

The crossbar Hardie had located earlier on was quivering again soon after the restart when Arveladze, having taken down a fine diagonal ball from Fernando Ricksen, blasted a rising drive that had Dubourdeau well beaten.

De Boer was once again first to the rebound but could not hit the target under pressure with an overhead kick.

Killie retaliated with a move that saw Gary McDonald find space in the box to fire in a low drive that forced Klos into a fine parry at his near post.

Christian Nerlinger and Ball were booked soon after before the latter set de Boer up for a fine goal in the 62nd minute.

Rangers made a double substitution a minute later with midfielders Nerlinger and Mikel Arteta being replaced by striker Egil Ostenstad and defender Paolo Vanoli, who went to the left of midfield.

Controversy arrived in full force in the 66th minute when Rangers were awarded a penalty that Arveladze converted, albeit off a post, to wrap up the tie.

Killie players and fans were all convinced referee Douglas McDonald had penalised them unjustly, with Arveladze seemingly having been barged by Gordon Greer as he chased a de Boer through-ball and Dubourdeau then upending him in the process of collecting the ball.

Greer had been the guilty man in the official's eyes and all the home side's protests were ignored.

Killie sent Kris Boyd and Stevie Murray on in search of a way back into the game but although chances did fall to the former none was converted and Rangers went through.

Teams

Kilmarnock: Dubourdeau, Fowler, Greer, McLaughlin, Hay, McDonald (Boyd 71), Locke (Dodds 20), Hardie, Invincibile (Murray 67), McSwegan, Skora.

Subs Not Used: Meldrum, Nish.

Booked: Dodds.

Rangers: Klos, Ross, Moore, Berg, Ball, Ricksen, Arteta (Vanoli 63), Nerlinger (Ostenstad 63), Capucho (Namouchi 88), Ronald de Boer, Arveladze.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Khizanishvili.

Booked: Nerlinger, Ball, Vanoli.

Goals: Ronald de Boer 62, Arveladze 67 pen.

Att: 10,993

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).