Rangers warmed up for Sunday's derby visit of champions-in-waiting Celtic by comfortably disposing of Dunfermline.

It was achieved in double quick time too with all five goals being nette before the half-hour mark.

Rookie Alan Hutton headed the first in only the second minute and Peter Lovenkrands, Ronald de Boer and Michael Mols were the other home scorers, with Andy Tod briefly heading the Pars back into the game.

The win was achieved at a cost however with Frank de Boer limping off with a knee injury sustained chasing a late fifth. With Henning Berg and Craig Moore already out injured, it was a real sting in the tail for Rangers manager Alex McLeish.

The result was no surprise however as Dunfermline last won at Ibrox in 1972 and have since become accustomed to thrashings.

They were beaten 4-0 in September and on the last day of last season Rangers clinched the title with a breathtaking 6-1 demolition.

The scoring began after just 120 seconds when Ronald de Boer's corner into the six-yard box was headed in by Hutton.

It has been a heady last few days for the 19-year-old, who made his first appearance of the season on Saturday and was name-checked by Scotland manager Berti Vogts earlier in the day.

The second goal, in the 11th minute, was one to remember as Lovenkrands began a move with a pass to Gavin Rae and then sprinted to meet the midfielder's flicked return with a low volley that flashed past the startled Derek Stillie.

Dunfermline had offered nothing at the other end yet managed to reduce the deficit with their first meaningful attack in the 21st minute.

Theirs was a more simple effort with former Ranger Barry Nicholson sending a diagonal ball from the right to Tod, the defender who is often pressed up front, to head across goalkeeper Stefan Klos and into the net.

Rangers' reply was a fine goal from Ronald de Boer five minutes later, although it was Lovenkrands who provided the spadework.

The Dane somehow got the better of two challengers down the left and, having reached the byline inside the box, cut the ball back into the danger zone.

Stephen Hughes was there first and he laid the ball off for the Dutchman to send a curling effort arcing over defenders and goalkeeper alike to find the top corner.

Rangers struck again in the 28th minute when Mols, in for Steven Thompson, produced a trademark turn in the box to fool his marker before slotting the ball past Stillie.

Frank de Boer almost set up Mols for another seconds later with a ball over the top but Stillie made a fine block.

Pars boss Jimmy Calderwood replaced Tod with Craig Brewster in the 38th minute and swapped Aaron Labonte for Richie Byrne at the break.

At the same time, McLeish was able to rest Ronald de Boer, who broke his nose against Dundee on Saturday, and give a run-out to Thompson.

Within a minute of the restart Darren Young was booked for chopping Hughes down and Frank de Boer forced a diving save from Stillie.

Lovenkrands was first to the loose ball but could find only the side-netting.

Hutton was booked in the 54th minute for a challenge on Derek Young that left the Dunfermline man on the deck.

Darren Young forced Klos into his first save with a long-ranger but normal service was resumed at the other end when Mols fired in a superb cross on the turn from the right that Thompson headed over from close range.

Rangers made a second change just after the hour mark when young winger Chris Burke replaced Lovenkrands.

The new darling of the Ibrox crowd lost no time in cutting in from the left and forced Stillie into a near-post save.

Klos was required to save a Brewster header at the other end but the game had ceased to be a spectacle as Rangers conserved energy with Sunday in mind.

Teams

Rangers Klos, Hutton, Khizanishvili, Frank de Boer, Ball, Rae, Malcolm, Hughes, Lovenkrands (Burke 62), Mols (Fetai 72), Ronald de Boer (Thompson 45).

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Vanoli.

Booked: Hutton, Fetai.

Goals: Hutton 2, Lovenkrands 11, Ronald de Boer 26, Mols 28.

Dunfermline Stillie, Tod (Brewster 38), Skerla, Scott Wilson, Shields, Mason (Mehmet 83), Nicholson, Darren Young, Labonte (Byrne 45), Derek Young, Crawford.

Subs Not Used: Ruitenbeek, Dempsey.

Booked: Darren Young, Byrne.

Goals: Tod 21.

Att: 47,487

Ref: D McDonald (Scotland).