Rangers finally ended their Bank of Scotland Premier League hoodoo against Dundee United with a convincing margin of victory at Ibrox.

The home side had not recorded a win against United in the SPL since December 2003, failing in their last six attempts.

But goals from Thomas Buffel, Steven Thompson and Peter Lovenkrands ensured the Scottish champions ended the year on a high.

It has been a turbulent year for Rangers.

From the highs of winning the SPL title against all odds on the final day of the season, and becoming the first Scottish club to book a place in the last 16 of the Champions League, to the lows of recording the worst ever run of results in the club's history and Alex McLeish almost losing his job.

There has been plenty for the Rangers manager to reflect on but, before sitting back and having a look at the year that was, there was United to take care of.

The Tangerines may be languishing at the wrong end of the SPL table, and manager Gordon Chisholm may have been subjected to almost as much speculation over his future as McLeish was earlier in December.

But there was reason for Rangers to head into the game with trepidation, given their lamentable record against the same opposition for two years.

That was a statistic which was perhaps burned on the minds of the Scottish champions as they set about aiding United's cause early on.

Ian Murray, in the role of central defender as a result of suspensions for Bob Malcolm and Sotirios Kyrgiakos, narrowly avoided punting a Collin Samuel ball into his own net.

The corner which caused havoc in the Rangers goalmouth.

It should have been easy for Rangers goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus to smother but Marvin Andrews made a bungling attempt at a clearance instead.

The ball broke to Samuel and, fortunately for the Ibrox side, his shot was deflected wide.

Rangers had the opportunity to put United under pressure when Lovenkrands picked out Nacho Novo with a corner but the Spaniard swung wildly at the ball before failing to connect properly.

Novo then released Buffel into the box and he cut a pass back into the path of Barry Ferguson, but goalkeeper Derek Stillie managed to block the point-blank shot.

Chris Burke pounced on the rebound but he was also denied by a last-ditch clearance, this time from Paul Ritchie.

The visitors then suffered a blow when Samuel indicated to the dug-out that was feeling discomfort and was replaced by Greg Cameron after 35 minutes.

New Rangers signing Kris Boyd was paraded in front of the crowd at half-time and that he earned the biggest cheer of the day so far said it all about the previous 45 minutes.

Rangers tried to put Dundee United under pressure after the restart when Burke raced down the left flank before whipping into the path of Lovenkrands in front of goal, but Stillie managed to intercept the move and clear the danger.

With 56 minutes gone, Novo was replaced by former United striker Thompson.

The breakthrough eventually came after 68 minutes. Thompson nodded the ball down to Lovenkrands and his overhead kick fell into the path of Buffel, who rifled into the roof of the net from inside the six-yard box.

Burke could have doubled Rangers' advantage when he tried his luck with an opportunistic shot, only to drill the ball into the side-netting.

Instead, it was Thompson who made the points safe for Rangers. Buffel sent a superb curling cross onto the head of the big striker to bullet home the header from close range.

Just to make sure, Lovenkrands rammed home his ninth goal in six games with four minutes left.

Teams

Rangers Waterreus, Lowing, Murray, Andrews, Smith, Novo (Thompson 57), Ricksen, Ferguson, Burke, Buffel, Lovenkrands.

Subs Not Used: Klos, Alex Rae, Jeffers, MacKenzie, McCormack, Campbell.

Booked: Murray, Novo, Ricksen.

Goals: Buffel 68, Thompson 83, Lovenkrands 86.

Dundee Utd Stillie, Wilson, McCracken, Ritchie, Archibald (Miller 76), Kerr, Duff, Robson, McIntyre (Goodwillie 83), Samuel (Cameron 37), Fernandez.

Subs Not Used: Samson, McInnes, Kenneth, Robertson.

Booked: Robson, McCracken, Archibald.

Att: 49,141

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).