Rangers enjoyed a stroll in the summer sunshine to make sure the the Bank of Scotland Premier League title will be decided on the final day of the season.

Thomas Buffel and Shota Arveladze both struck twice to inflict a 4-1 defeat on a painfully inexperienced Motherwell side that had arrived at Ibrox with nothing to play for other than an unlikely win bonus.

That never looked like happening and Rangers are now a point ahead of Celtic, with the Ibrox faithful clinging to the hope that their city rivals can be derailed at Hearts on Sunday ahead of next Sunday's deciders.

That Tynecastle date surely represents the last chance for Rangers, however, as Celtic are at Motherwell next week and Terry Butcher's side, which had been hit hard by injury and suspension, gave no indication at all in this game that they can avoid a repeat humiliation.

Rangers, who have a sterner final task at Hibernian, wasted little time in wrapping up the three points they needed in their final home game, taking the lead in the 12th minute through Buffel.

The Belgian used his pace to get away from William Kinniburgh chasing a long ball from the recalled Michael Ball and the Well man's reaction was to try to pull down his opponent before the box was reached.

Both men hit the turf but with referee Calum Murray using the advantage rule, Buffel was quickly on his feet again to stroke the ball under the body of Well's veteran goalkeeper Gordon Marshall.

That advantage was doubled in the 17th minute when Arveladze, who was playing his final game at Ibrox before his summer free transfer, was handed a going-away present by the woeful Well defence.

The Georgian began the move himself by cutting inside Paul Quinn and firing in a low drive that Marshall could only parry at his near post.

The veteran was painfully slow to get up again and that allowed Dado Prso to get to the loose ball first. Well had managed to get men back by this time but Prso picked out Arveladze in a little space and his shot was deflected into the net off the nearest defender.

Well's only first half chance of note came and went soon after when Scott McDonald sent a ball flashing across goal from the right. David Clarkson was inches away from connecting in front of goal but although the ball did reach Richie Foran beyond the back post his first touch was ruinous and the chance was gone.

The Irishman, who had been involved in a Fir Park flashpoint earlier in the season that had seen Rangers' Barry Ferguson sent off, was one of three Motherwell men to be booked before the break.

Shaun Fagan had been the first, a little harshly for pulling Ferguson back, but Foran had certainly been late on Fernando Ricksen.

Quinn, who also headed a goal-bound Buffel effort off the line, was punished for a foul on Sotirios Kyrgiakos and the big Greek was also shown a yellow card for his angry reaction.

Rangers made a slow start to the second half, however, and Foran headed against the bar, although he was also penalised for pushing Ricksen.

Within seconds Clarkson had been put through by a sliced clearance attempt by Marvin Andrews and had the youngster not over-run the ball at the vital moment, allowing goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus to block, Well might have been back in the game.

Arveladze made them pay for that straight away by making it 3-0 in the 54th minute, with Nacho Novo making it possible with a run down the right that left challengers trailing and a ball across the box for a simple diversion past Marshall.

The floodgates were well and truly open now and Buffel netted his second three minutes later thanks to some more calamitous defending.

Arveladze was able to hook the ball into the box for Prso to lay it back for the Belgian, who made no mistake with a low drive into the far corner.

A consolation effort should have been McDonald's when Clarkson had put him through with only Waterreus to beat in the 71st minute but he poked wastefully wide.

The Australian was narrowly off target again as the game meandered to a conclusion, with Prso having done the same at the other end following a neat turning of Kinniburgh.

The Well youngster denied Arveladze a hat-trick, however, with a brave block after Prso had set up his departing colleague.

Well's consolation finally arrived in the final minute when Andrews put through his own goal after Waterreus had fumbled a Clarkson cross. It was his second own goal in as many games.

The Rangers players performed a lap of honour for their fans, with Arveladze making an emotional farewell and the proceedings were also watched by Newcastle manager Graeme Souness, the ex-Rangers boss with a habit of signing players from his former club.

Teams

Rangers Waterreus, Ricksen, Andrews, Kyrgiakos, Ball, Buffel, Alex Rae, Ferguson, Arveladze, Novo (Burke 86), Prso.

Subs Not Used: McGregor, Malcolm, Thompson, Lovenkrands, Adam, McCormack.

Booked: Kyrgiakos.

Goals: Buffel 12, Arveladze 17, 54, Buffel 57.

Motherwell Marshall, Paul Quinn (Keogh 63), Corrigan, Kinniburgh, Fitzpatrick, Paterson, Fagan, Kerr, Foran (Hamilton 79), Scott McDonald, Clarkson.

Subs Not Used: Corr, Britton, Higgins.

Booked: Fagan, Foran, Paul Quinn.

Goals: Andrews 89 og.

Att: 49,495

Ref: C Murray (Scotland).