Marvin Andrews was the unlikely hero as Rangers fought back from behind to claim a 3-1 victory over Kilmarnock.

Colin Nish gave Killie a half-time lead but the introduction of Andrews at the break changed the game and the defender netted twice, with Kris Boyd also finding the back of the net.

The win allowed Rangers to move to within a point of Hearts - ahead of their game against Celtic tomorrow - and keep the race for second place in the Bank of Scotland Premier League alive.

Rangers dominated the opening spell of the game in terms of both possession and chances.

Boyd - who netted 17 goals for Kilmarnock before making a January switch to Rangers - had claimed he would have no qualms about finding the back of the net against his former club upon his return to Rugby Park.

And he almost succeeded with the first real chance of the game when he collected a Chris Burke cross on the six-yard line but too much height on the effort saw the ball land on the roof of the net instead.

Thomas Buffel tried to keep the pressure on Killie by trying his luck with a long-range shot but a deflection was enough to send the ball fizzing wide of the target.

Then, only the heroics of goalkeeper Alan Combe prevented Rangers from finding the back of the net. He denied Buffel from point-blank range before reacting quickly to block the rebound from Gavin Rae.

Just when it seemed only a matter of time before the visitors would finally breach Combe's goal, Killie hit them with a sucker punch after 27 minutes.

A Lindsay Wilson ball into the danger area was touched into the path of Nish by Gary Wales and Rangers goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus was left with no chance when the gangly striker rifled home with relish from 10 yards.

But the edge was taken off Kilmarnock's celebrations soon after when Garry Hay collided with former team-mate Boyd and left the field on a stretcher.

He was replaced by Gary McDonald with 36 minutes gone.

Rangers rounded off what turned out to be a disappointing first half with yellow cards for both Burke and Boyd.

Alan Hutton was replaced by Andrews at the break, with Ian Murray switching to right back to allow the new addition to occupy his familiar role in the heart of defence.

But even Alex McLeish could not have predicted just how fortuitous the substitution would be.

Rangers began their comeback when they were handed a free-kick on the edge of the box, after Dado Prso was felled by Fraser Wright.

Steven Smith sent the ball into the box and it was the unlikely figure of Andrews who rose above everyone else to send a glancing header over the line after 50 minutes.

Clearly boosted, Rangers took the lead with 63 minutes gone. A Prso cross found Boyd in front of goal and he nodded home his 33rd goal of the season, leaving Combe rooted to the spot.

Kilmarnock were left with little hope of salvaging anything from the game when Rangers netted again after 78 minutes.

Burke did well to keep the ball in play at the by-line before cutting back across goal and it was Andrews, lurking at the back post, who headed in his second of the day.

He could have then defied more odds by clinching a hat-trick a few minutes later but the Trinidad and Tobago international sent his header wide of the post.

Teams:

Kilmarnock Combe, Wilson, Greer, Wright, Hay (McDonald 35),Invincibile (Di Giacomo 71), Fowler, Johnston, Naismith, Nish,Wales (Murray 80).

Subs Not Used: Smith, Bell, Leven, Campbell.

Booked: Fowler, Naismith, Wright.

Goals: Nish 27.

Rangers Waterreus, Hutton (Andrews 45), Rodriguez, Murray,Smith, Burke, Gavin Rae (Alex Rae 88), Hemdani, Buffel,Kris Boyd, Prso (Novo 80).

Subs Not Used: Klos, Malcolm, Gilmour, Ashikodi.

Booked: Burke, Kris Boyd.

Goals: Andrews 51, Kris Boyd 64, Andrews 79.

Att: 11,583

Ref: C Murray (Scotland).