Four goals in a 10-minute spell either side of half-time saw a tight contest transformed into an Ibrox rout as Rangers made Motherwell pay for an ill-disciplined afternoon.

Mikel Arteta, Maurice Ross, Hamed Namouchi and Steven Thompson were the men on the scoresheet on a day when the sunshine was brighter than most of the football.

Motherwell had been missing a player through suspension for the first time this season but their performance today was more reminiscent of last season when the Scottish Football Association issued orders to cut out the cards.

Rangers men were also guilty, however, and the home fans reserved the majority of their ire for referee Stuart Dougal, who had been fined by the SFA earlier in the season for swearing at a Rangers player.

It took Rangers 45 minutes to make a breakthrough and Arteta's free-kick was the best and virtually the last effort of a first half that had been peppered with set-pieces.

The Spaniard was the man who had been fouled in the first place, just outside the box to the left.

Frank de Boer, who was captaining the side to mark his 500th competitive match, fancied having a go but Arteta's connection was a perfect one, sending the ball arcing over the Well wall and into the top corner, with the recalled Gordon Marshall only helping it into the net with a desperate dive.

The previous 45 minutes had featured little to linger in the memory although Chris Burke, the young winger the Ibrox faithful have already taken into their hearts, was busy either beating men, winning or taking corners, firing in crosses and having the occasional pot-shot himself.

One delivery to the back post in the 11th minute, saw Scotland striker Thompson jump higher than two challengers to head narrowly wide but real chances were rare.

Marshall gifted one to Namouchi, the young French-Tunisian, in bizarre fashion when he skied an attempted clearance. Namouchi followed its descent to fire in a volley that was technically breathtaking but also straight at the relieved veteran.

Namouchi had also been revelling in the play-maker role left vacant by the injured and soon to be departing Ronald de Boer, although Fernando Ricksen annoyed the restless home fans by accepting one of his through-balls and then declining to carry on towards goal.

The Dutchman was one of two Rangers who were booked before the break, with Alan Hutton the other.

Hutton's offence was a touchline felling of David Clarkson and the 18-year-old, who made a scoring debut for Scotland's Under-21 side in midweek, showed why he is expected to follow former Fir Park team-mates James McFadden and Stephen Pearson into the full national side in due course.

He showed good touch as well as pace and awareness and, had strike partner Steven Craig possessed more of the latter quality, Clarkson would have given his side the lead.

The teenager had arrived in front of goal for a tap-in but Craig had already decided to go for glory and fired into the side-netting from a tight angle on the left.

Rangers took Hutton off at the break and sent on Ross in his place.

It was a change that worked immediately as within two minutes the newcomer had made it 2-0, although he very nearly made a complete hash of the whole thing.

Burke sent him cantering towards goal but his defensive instincts took over and he tried to set up Thompson. But the striker had been tracked by two defenders and one, Paul Quinn, was able to get in the way. Fortune favoured the home side however as the ball went straight back to Ross, who had little difficulty locating an exposed net.

Namouchi made it 3-0 in the 51st minute when De Boer played a simple but defence-splitting pass down the inside left channel for the forward to poke past Marshall.

Well had simply fallen apart and conceded a soft goal just three minutes later when Thompson was able to glance a cross from the left from Paolo Vanoli past Marshall and into the bottom corner of the net.

Ross was both hurt and angry when he was felled by a challenge by Stephen Craigan, who was adamant he could not have got out of the way.

Only a free-kick was awarded and there were ironic cheers from the home fans when Quinn was booked for a foul on Ricksen just before the hour mark.

With the game won Rangers manager Alex McLeish could hand out debuts to 17-year-old striker Ross McCormack and 18-year-old defender Gary McKenzie, who replaced Arteta and Namouchi in the 62nd and 65th minutes respectively.

McCormack has been a prolific scorer at youth and reserve level this season and fired one long-ranger narrowly wide.

Craig was booked for a challenge that hurt Zura Khizanishvili before McCormack crossed from the right for Thompson to head wide at the back post.

Stefan Klos, who had been recalled to the Rangers goal ahead of next week's Old Firm derby, had been a spectator almost all afternoon but denied Clarkson a late consolation with a fine stop after the chance had been set up by Well substitute Scott McDonald.

Teams

Rangers Klos, Hutton (Ross 45), Khizanishvili, Frank de Boer, Vanoli, Ricksen, Arteta (McCormack 61), Hughes, Burke, Thompson, Namouchi (Mackenzie 64).

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Ball.

Booked: Ricksen.

Goals: Arteta 45, Ross 47, Namouchi 51, Thompson 55.

Motherwell Marshall, Quinn, Corrigan, Craigan, Hammell, Adams, Burns, Dair (Scott McDonald 80), Fagan, Clarkson, Craig (Wright 76).

Subs Not Used: Corr, Kevin McDonald, Kinniburgh.

Booked: Quinn, Craig.

Att: 47,579

Ref: S Dougal (Scotland).