The lowest Ibrox crowd for 10 years saw Rangers struggle to shake off part-timers Brechin City.

Just 22,309 paid to watch the champions dispose of the Third Division promotion hopefuls thanks to two first-half goals.

Indeed, had former St Johnstone striker Roddy Grant been more alive before the break when a clear cut chance fell his way the 2,000 travelling fans might have had more to talk about on the way back home.

But in the end goals from Allan Johnston, who otherwise had an afternoon of misfortune, and Kenny Miller, who also spurned chances and hit a crossbar, were enough.

Few were expecting a giant-killing but the part-timers from Angus were almost gifted the opening goal within five minutes from the most unlikely of sources.

Rangers goalkeeper Stefan Klos fumbled a routine cross from the right straight to the feet of a startled Douglas Coulston.

But the German redeemed himself with a point-blank save and when Allan Johnston opened the scoring five minutes later the home fans were busy preparing themselves for a cricket score.

Brechin boss Dick Campbell had boldly proclaimed beforehand that his side would play in a 3-4-3 formation but for much of the game, when Rangers had the ball, it was more like 8-0-2, or, if it was a corner, 9-0-1.

But Barry Ferguson found a way through the massed ranks of red with a forward pass that Johnston collected and despatched past exposed goalkeeper Derek Soutar.

The sparse crowd had already witnessed some lower division defending when Harry Cairney, a 39-year-old balding teacher, had hacked down Dutch international and Champions League medal winner Ronald de Boer.

Quite what Cairney's pupils made of that was unclear but de Boer was replaced by Michael Mols straight after Johnston's goal.

But Brechin showed they really were determined to give their 2,000 fans something to cheer and an exquisite backheel from Lee Bailey, the driving instructor who had scored four in the previous round, proved it straight away.

It set up a chance for Roddy Grant, the former St Johnstone striker, whose first touch let him down and the chance was gone.

His blushes were saved by a linesman's flag on that occasion but not when Roddy Black beat Tony Vidmar to a header to send the ball straight into the striker's path.

Again his first touch was not up to standard and, although he got in a shot that went past the goalkeeper, Vidmar had no trouble clearing up.

Rangers had been passing and passing in the meantime but were finding the part-timers stubborn in defence and the home side's predilection for little flicks was certainly not paying off.

Kenny Miller was looking to add to the lead, however, and used his speed to leave Cairney for dead and smack a shot that beat Soutar all ends up.

That one hit the crossbar and rebounded back into play but from Rangers' next attack Miller had indeed added to his goal tally.

Mols sent Jorg Albertz away down the left and although the German was clattered by a defender he still managed to square the ball into Miller's path.

Albertz took no further part in the game and was replaced by Tugay.

The second half was nothing much to shout about had anyone wanted to.

Mols went close with a shot from the edge of the area and Miller somehow spurned a chance set up for him in the six-yard box by Fernando Ricksen. His connection was so awry that the ball simply spun away harmlessly from a gaping goal.

Bert Konterman saw a header hit the bar and Ricksen, another very occasional scorer, forced Soutar into a quality block.

Soutar made a tremendous save from substitute Rod Wallace's header, a reflex tip round a post that had the home fans applauding.

Brechin had their moments at the other end occasionally but none were to match those first-half chances.

But they had certainly not let down all those red and white-clad fans who had travelled to watch them.

Teams:

Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Konterman, Vidmar, Numan, Johnston, Reyna (Wallace 69), Ferguson, Albertz (Tugay 41), de Boer (Mols 10), Miller.

Subs Not Used: Brown, Porrini.

Goals: Johnston 9, Miller 38.

Brechin: Soutar, Raynes, Darren Smith (Campbell 79), Bain, Kearney, Greig Smith, Paul Riley, Coulston (Sturrock 79), Bailey, Black (Donnachie 69), Grant.

Subs Not Used: Nairn, Parkyn.

Att: 22,309

Ref: D Somers (Scotland).