In the end, the only protests came from St Johnstone’s players in the wake of substitute Cyriel Dessers’ opening goal for Rangers being allowed to stand.
There were some boos from a sparse Rangers support at the end of a goalless first 45, but no sign of the all-out mutiny on the streets that some had been agitating for on social media.
That might have changed had Saints forward Adama Sidibeh not missed an absolute sitter from point-blank range in the 92nd minute with the game still finely balanced at 1-0, but an effort from substitute Ross McCausland later secured a place in the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup. This led to a rather odd show of unity with the players jumping over the advertising hoardings at time-up and doing ‘The Bouncy’ behind the goal with the Union Bears ultras group.
St Johnstone cry foul as Dessers plays on before netting the opener
Rangers' performance earned a thumbs up at full-time from manager Clement
Even manager Philippe Clement and his coach Stephane Van Der Heyden got involved.
It seemed a bit much for an early-rounds cup win over St Johnstone. A little performative, shall we say. Clement admitted afterwards that it had been planned in advance. He is clearly eager to prevent a clear disconnect between support and club extending even further.
Celtic fans will no doubt use it as reason for much crowing and cackling. However, things have been so bad at Rangers of late that maybe any excuse to show a little happiness is to be welcomed with such dark clouds hovering overhead.
On reflection, Clement’s side merited their victory. They carved out enough chances to win a couple of matches, even though you could hardly describe the evening’s events in front of a crowd that couldn’t have been more than 20,000 as high-octane.
Saints were unhappy at Dessers’ 61st-minute opener being allowed to stand after referee Matthew MacDermid had initially chalked it off for a supposed foul on visiting defender Jack Sanders before being sent to the pitchside monitor.
Look, it was almost certainly the right decision. It was how we got to that point, though, that is supremely confusing. Did MacDermid actually blow for a foul before Dessers hit the ball? There are a number of St Johnstone players convinced he did and, if they are right, video technology should never have been involved.
The revelation from McDiarmid Park captain Kyle Cameron that he had been told by the ref that the VAR review was conducted because of suspicions of a Rangers penalty just adds to the whole business being as clear as mud.
It matters not to Rangers, though. They’re still alive in the competition, Clement believes the groin issue that forced Robin Propper off at the end of the first half is not serious and the chaos that has surrounded the start of the season has not become a full-on crisis yet.
Reports suggest St Mirren vice-chair and award-winning CEO of the Kibble charity Jim Gillespie is on his way as chief executive as well and that might add badly needed stability. For all Rangers dominated this game, though, there remains a real vulnerability and lack of quality about them that you suspect will be their undoing in time.
The Ibrox side had a claim for a penalty waved away early doors when Mohamed Diomande went down in the area under pressure from Sanders and saw a bouncing shot from Rabbi Matondo on the quarter-hour mark spilled by keeper Josh Rae — with Vaclav Cerny unable to take advantage from the rebound.
Saints had looked to utilise the pace of Benji Kimpioka and Sidibeh in attack and saw Andre Raymond given some encouragement bombing forward on the left. Indeed, it was the Trinidadian who fashioned their first big opportunity midway through the first 45.
McCausland finds the net in injury-time to make the game safe for Rangers
Saints boss Craig Levein was left to bemoan the loss of the opening goal
He collected a diagonal ball from Cammy MacPherson and edged the ball past James Tavernier to find himself with an opening inside the area. His shot was deflected wide by John Souttar.
From there, Rangers had a stack of chances. Diomande saw a shot spilled by Rae, who managed to fling an arm at Danilo’s effort from the rebound and divert the ball wide.
Jefte, who could be handy when bedded in, then sent a speculative effort over the bar before Cerny blazed over from a brilliant, unmarked position on the right after being played in by Danilo.
Yet, it was Craig Levein’s side who came closest in a goalless opening period. With 41 minutes on the clock, Rangers were exposed as Kimpioka moved onto a diagonal pass from Matthew Smith on the left.
The ball eventually made its way back to Smith on the other side of the pitch and his well-weighted cross was met first time by Sidibeh just yards out. Goalkeeper Jack Butland breathed a sigh of relief as the ball smacked off the outside of his left-hand post and spun wide.
In an eventful period of time added on, Danilo sent a header wide, Matondo saw an effort deflected onto the top of the net and Rae denied Cerny. However, the most concerning element of that hectic spell was the sight of summer arrival Propper hobbling off to be replaced by Ben Davies.
Clement brought Dessers on for Danilo at the break and, after Matondo had been denied by the right foot of Rae and Cerny had curled an effort only inches wide, the Nigerian forward broke the deadlock.
To say the goal proved controversial, though, is quite the understatement. Matondo won the ball high up the park and fed it through to Dessers, who had timed his run well. There was the slightest hint of contact between him and home defender Sanders, but not enough, it seemed, for a free-kick to be awarded.
Sanders hit the deck and Dessers latched onto the ball, cut inside past Lewis Neilson and smashed home a drive from 10 yards or so. MacDermid, who certainly had his whistle in his mouth as play charged on, chalked the effort off, though, and an interminable wait unfolded as VAR Greg Aitken intervened to recommend a review on the pitchside monitor.
Lord knows how long it took for a conclusion. There is no real evidence MacDermid blew before the ball had hit the net and, for all the confusion that continues to swirl, the right decision was made in the end.
Dessers could have had a second goal with five minutes left when firing wide from a ball in from substitute Robbie Fraser, but the game was relatively comfortable by then.
Saints hadn’t contained any major threat at all in the second half and seemed content to concede the majority of the possession to their Hampden hosts. That was, until Sidibeh passed up that chance at the death.
Raymond had curled a ball into the area with the outside of the boot from the left, Dessers bungled his attempt at a clearance and the ball fell perfectly for the Gambian at the back stick.
He panicked, though. There is nothing else to say. And his weak, unconvincing effort went wide.
Within a flash, McCausland, on for Matondo, tied it up at the other end. Connor Barron fed the ball into Dessers, he moved it onto McCausland — perhaps inadvertently — and the Northern Irishman produced the most delightful dinked finish.