Tore Andre Flo helped himself to two headed goals as Rangers saw off a Hearts side that was forced to play the final 45 minutes with 10 men.

Colin Cameron's dismissal in first half stoppage time reinforced an already strong belief that a home win was on the cards.

But this was not an afternoon to remember and Rangers laboured even when they possessed a numerical advantage.

And their injury worries continued as Giovanni van Bronckhorst lasted just 24 minutes of his comeback game - his first at Ibrox since October 1.

Flo's opener, arriving in the 36th minute courtesy of a Billy Dodds cross from the left, was striking in its simplicity.

Dodds, who was making only his second start since the end of October, lofted the ball high into the box and the rangy Norseman easily got the better of marker Scott Severin to nod past Roddy McKenzie, who was deputising for stomach bug victim Antti Niemi.

Flo has blown hot and cold since his much-heralded £12million transfer in November and for that matter so have Rangers.

His goal was more or less their only worthwhile attack all half.

Rangers had toiled against a busy Hearts side that began as though it fully intended to fulfil the pre-match promises of attack.

Rangers were often penned in their own penalty area and resorted to away side-style counter-attacks using ex-Jambo Allan Johnston as a link man.

Once again this was a reshuffled pack for Rangers, who were playing in front of their own fans for the first time in exactly a month.

With Tugay and Claudio Reyna bringing injuries back with them from midweek international duty, Rangers manager Dick Advocaat took a double gamble on reintroducing Craig Moore and van Bronckhorst.

Both had been out for months after under-going operations designed to cure long-standing problems. But neither had accrued much match fitness.

Van Bronckhorst lasted just 24 minutes, limping on for seven of those after falling heavily under a Cameron challenge, for which the Hearts man was booked.

Moore fared better and had almost put his side ahead when a Lorenzo Amoruso free-kick landed in his path via a deflection off the wall.

But Severin slid in to block just as the Aussie was about to slot in from close range.

Van Bronckhorst's replacement was young Finn Jani Kauppila, who had been whisked back from Under-21 international duty in search of a debut.

He immediately slotted in on the right wing and showed enough promise in his first few minutes to suggest he could already be a first team squad fixture.

However a few minutes was all he got as a reshuffle at half-time saw him replaced by Kenny Miller.

This was also the first time referee Willie Young had taken charge of a Rangers game since the CIS Insurance Cup semi-final with Celtic in which he awarded each side a dubious penalty and sent off three players, including two Rangers men.

He was booed by the home fans but not when he showed Cameron a second yellow in first-half stoppage time for a touchline felling of Barry Ferguson that had been made to appear worse by the noisy protests of those seated nearby.

Miller's replacement of the Finn at the break was presumably a response to the home side's sudden numerical advantage and it did not take long before Rangers doubled their lead.

Moore was the provider with a cross on to Flo's head for another unfussy strike.

Steven Pressley, who was one of three ex-Rangers in the Hearts side, almost gifted his former employers two goals in as many minutes.

First he dozily allowed Sergio Porrini to steal in at the far post and, after that scary moment, was somehow prevented from becoming a goal, he then headed a cross from the Italian on to his own near post.

Hearts tried to muster a response but looked like a side that had already accepted defeat.

On one occasion they had three men up against two defenders in the box but still could not get in a meaningful shot.

Flo was denied a hat-trick when Austin McCann headed his shot on the turn off the line.

The three points gave Rangers the cushion they needed to make sure they remained in second place regardless of what Hibernian do on Sunday night but it was an unconvincing performance overall from another patched-up Rangers side.

Teams:

Rangers: Klos, Porrini, Moore (Malcolm 80), Amoruso, Wilson, Johnston, Ferguson, Konterman, van Bronckhorst (Kaupilla 23), Dodds, Flo, Kaupilla (Miller 46).

Subs Not Used: Christiansen, Carson.

Booked: Moore.

Goals: Flo 35, 57.

Hearts: McKenzie, Flogel, Pressley, Severin, McCann, Boyack (McAnespie 83), Tomaschek, Cameron, Makel, Durie (Juanjo 63), Kirk.

Subs Not Used: Gorbon, Murray, Neilson.

Sent Off: Cameron (45).

Booked: Cameron.

Att: 49,003

Ref: W Young (Scotland).