Dundee United breathed life into their fight for survival and threw Rangers' title hopes into disarray with a shock win at Ibrox.

It was top versus bottom of the Bank of Scotland Premier League and on paper United should not even have bothered turning up - instead they ripped up the script in a bid to rewrite the ending to their season.

Stuart Duff grabbed the goal that mattered after just eight minutes and, despite enough chances to run up a cricket score, Rangers could not find a reply.

Both teams headed into this game knowing that a win could have a significant impact on their respective seasons.

League leaders Rangers were desperate to extend their one point lead over Celtic while bottom side United were battling for their lives.

Their reasons for needing the points may have been polar opposites but the resolve and determination from both teams was exactly the same.

It had not all been doom and gloom down Tannadice way recently and the adrenalin from booking their place in the Tennent's Scottish Cup final at the weekend was clearly still surging through the veins of the Dundee United players heading into this game.

With just eight minutes on the clock they had silenced the 49,302 Ibrox crowd and stunned their hosts.

An alluring cross from Jim McIntyre found its' way all to easily through a static Rangers defence to Duff.

His initial header cannoned off the body of Ronald Waterreus but the Rangers goalkeeper could not prevent Duff nodding the rebound into the back of the net. It was the wake-up call Rangers needed.

Michael Ball's throw-in was met by Dado Prso and the Croatian international squared into the path of Nacho Novo but the tiny Spanish hitman uncharacteristically blasted well over from the six-yard line.

Rangers were threatening again when Prso threaded the ball through to Fernando Ricksen but goalkeeper Tony Bullock read the situation well and he raced off his line to smother before the Dutchman could shoot.

If the Rangers supporters thought they were frustrated by now, there was much worse to come.

Novo set up Hamed Namouchi for the shot but he spotted Prso unmarked and in space and laid on a simple pass to him instead. All that was required was to slot home into an empty net but Prso somehow sent the effort wide of target.

There was concern for Rangers when Sotirios Kyrgiakos and Namouchi clattered into each other, with Kyrgiakos coming off worse with a facial injury. He disappeared down the tunnel, presumably to have stitches inserted, and returned four minutes later to find his team still trailing by a single goal.

The club propping up the rest of the SPL managed to hold onto their lead until the interval.

The restart was just seconds old when Bullock was left with stinging fingers after blocking Prso's angled drive.

The Dundee United goalkeeper was receiving little respite and was called into action again. Novo picked up the ball inside the area and looked like he had little more to do than choose his spot but Bullock managed to turn the effort around the upright instead.

United provided a timely reminder that they were still in the game - and leading no less - when McIntyre took advantage of a moment of sloppiness by Kyrgiakos to launch the ball at goal but he was denied by the crossbar.

At the other end, Novo was causing problems again but stubborn and fortuitous defending saw Paul Ritchie scoop his header off the line and away from the danger area.

Rangers manager Alex McLeish was clearly in need of a Plan B and that came in the shape of Shota Arveladze and Peter Lovenkrands, who replaced Namouchi and Gregory Vignal respectively within a few minutes of each other.

Balls into the Dundee United box were pinging off blue jerseys like a pinball machine and when Rangers finally managed a clean shot at goal, Novo's effort was weak and blocked by the goalkeeper at the near post.

Bullock spilled the ball but there was no Rangers player following up to tap home the rebound - it was proving to be one of those nights for the home team.

If they needed further proof, it came courtesy of Arveladze. Novo's curling cross found substitute Steven Thompson at the back post and he laid on a lovely ball for Arveladze only for the striker to bullet his header over from a yard out.

Dundee United held on for the win and succeeded in causing ripples at both ends of the table, as Rangers left the field to jeers from their own fans.

Teams:

Rangers Waterreus, Ross, Malcolm (Thompson 80), Kyrgiakos, Ball, Namouchi (Arveladze 57), Ricksen, Alex Rae, Vignal (Lovenkrands 63), Novo, Prso.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Khizanishvili, Burke, McCormack.

Dundee Utd Bullock, Kenneth, Ritchie, Archibald, Wilson, Kerr, Duff, Brebner, Robson, Samuel (Crawford 65), McIntyre (Grady 90).

Subs Not Used: Colgan, Dodds, Scotland, Callaghan, Robertson.

Booked: Robson.

Goals: Duff 8.

Att: 49,302

Ref: I Brines (Scotland).