Rangers produced some second-half fireworks to make sure their 49th championship-winning party went with a bang after Dundee had threatened to gate-crash their celebrations.

The Dens Park side are the only Scottish club to have inflicted defeat on Rangers - at Ibrox last November - so Rangers knew that this was by no means a formality and for 52 minutes the visitors left them frustrated.

But with manager Dick Advocaat ready to hold aloft the trophy for the second time in two years in charge nothing was going to spoil their day.

Rangers turned up the heat and Billy Dodds, Neil McCann and Seb Rozental proved the lives and souls of the party to make sure their 12th title out of 14 years was celebrated in style.

The last time these two met was in February when Dundee were on the receiving end of a 7-1 mauling at Dens Park and Rangers started like a side determined run up a similar scoreline.

But they were finding it difficult to break the Dundee defence down in the early exchanges and were restricted to long-range efforts.

German midfielder Jorg Albertz had clear sight on goal in the sixth minute when teed up by the lively Billy Dodds but he dragged his shot wide of Douglas' post from just outside the box.

Rangers' final ball around the area was also letting them down but Dundee were posing little threat in the opposition half as they tried to get behind the ball at every opportunity.

The champions, however, did have the ball in the net in the 18th minute only for it to be ruled out because the ball had gone out of play when McCann crossed from the by-line from Albertz's through-all for Rozental to slide home.

But Rangers came within a whisker of taking the lead in the 21st minute when the impressive Claudio Reyna crossed for McCann, who hit a shot first time which saw goalkeeper Robert Douglas get enough of a touch to push it onto the bar.

The home side again threatened in the 31st minute when Arthur Numan picked out Dodds in the box and the little striker spun and drove his effort on target but Douglas pulled off a comfortable save low to his left.

Dundee sent out a warning in the 33rd minute that they could cause another upset when Steven Boyack cut inside Barry Ferguson before unleashing a low drive that Stefan Klos did well to hold onto.

Rozental then wasted a good chance in the 37th minute when the goal opened up for him after a ball from Numan but the Chilean striker fired well wide of the goal.

Albertz stung the fingers of Douglas from 25 yards in the 41st minute that the goalkeeper only just managed to push over the crossbar.

From the resulting corner the Dundee defence left Albertz in-swinging kick and Lee Wilkie's outstretched leg could have diverted the ball anywhere but luckily for him it flew over the bar.

But in the 44th minute Rangers were given their best opportunity of the half. Rozental put Andrei Kanchelskis through but he chose to play it back to him and the chance went begging.

It was one-way traffic again after the restart as Rangers continued to probe but the supporters were becoming increasingly frustrated as the final ball went astray on a number of occasions.

But the crowd came to life in the 53rd minute when Rangers got the goal they deserved after some brilliant play down the right from McCann.

The winger took Albertz's strong pass down superbly on the chest before bursting into the box and playing it off to Dodds, who swivelled and drove home past Douglas.

Rangers smelled blood and in the 55th minute Albertz should have made it two when Kanchelskis crossed from the right and the German blasted over.

But the fans did not have to wait too long before they were celebrating again when Albertz's dangerously in-swinging corner was not cleared and McCann had the easiest of chances to fire home from close range.

Dodds should have got his second of the match moments later when Albertz' corner found its way to his feet but Douglas pulled off a great save to deny him.

Albertz then produced a spectacular volley from a Kanchelskis corner in the 67th minute that went inches past the upright.

But Rangers' celebrations went to another level in moments later when Finnish striker Jonatan Johansson came on to replace Dodds for his first appearance since being injured at Aberdeen in December.

There was nothing that could stop Rangers now and it was Rozental's turn to cash in on their dominance in the 72nd minute when he fired past Douglas from close range.

But Rangers had done enough to make sure that a special day was made perfect and triggered celebrations in Glasgow that were ready to go long into the night.

TEAMS:

Rangers: Klos, Amoruso, Numan (Kerimoglu 74), Ferguson, Kanchelskis, Albertz, Reyna (Vidmar 74), Rozental, McCann, Penttila, Dodds (Johansson 68).

Subs Not Used: Brown, Malcolm.

Booked: Numan.

Goals: Dodds 52, McCann 58, Rozental 72.

Dundee: Douglas, Smith, Maddison, Tweed, Boyack, Rae, Falconer, Artero, Billio, Wilkie, Luna (Grady 82).

Subs Not Used: Langfield, Miller, Robertson, Bayne.

Booked: Billio.

Att: 50,032

Ref: Willie Young (Scotland).