Rangers give fans some cheer

Goals from Steven Davis and Sone Aluko put Rangers two ahead inside 16 minutes and Andrew Little justified his selection up front with a composed finish.

Steve Williams headed one back before the break but the champions remained in control and Lee McCulloch netted an opportunistic fourth from his striker's role.

Rangers fans have endured worrying revelations about the club's financial affairs on an almost daily basis since they went into administration on Valentine's Day and the first opportunity for the players to deliver a positive distraction from the crisis ended in a 1-0 defeat by Kilmarnock last Saturday.

Inverness made a spirited start but Davis scored in the sixth minute with the visitors' first attack. The Rangers captain began the move before Maurice Edu stretched the home defence with a pass out to Salim Kerkar. The winger played a low ball into the six-yard box and Davis got there first to sidefoot home.

Aluko missed the target with a free header from six yards after Davis had found him at the back post but the winger soon atoned as Rangers went two ahead as he fired a shot just inside the post from 18 yards after McCulloch had laid off Little's low cross from the right.

Inverness manager Terry Butcher moved from the stand to the touchline in a bid to sort out his side and Greg Tansey twice threatened from long range, driving just wide before forcing Allan McGregor into a save with a powerful effort the Rangers goalkeeper beat away.

But Edu and Davis were cutting out most of the Inverness attacks before they could reach the penalty box and Rangers moved three ahead with a 36th-minute counter-attack. Kerkar collected the ball on the left wing and played it through for Little, who took his time before finishing from a tight angle with his left foot.

Inverness gave themselves a lifeline four minutes later when Williams rose highest to head home Tansey's inswinging corner from close range. Rangers had disputed the corner award after Tansey's previous effort failed to clear the near post with referee Willie Collum ruling a Rangers player had helped it out.

But Kerkar was heavily involved again as Rangers moved further ahead in the 72nd minute. The Algerian worked space to fire an angled drive, which Ryan Esson could not hold, and McCulloch ran in to tap home the rebound.