Kenny Miller's late header gave nine-man Rangers a 1-0 victory over St Mirren in a dramatic Co-operative Insurance Cup final at Hampden.

The game exploded in the 53rd minute when Ibrox midfielder Kevin Thomson was deservedly sent off for a needless and lunging tackle on his St Mirren namesake Steven Thomson. Then teenage defender Danny Wilson was also red-carded for a last-man challenge on Buddies substitute Craig Dargo, leaving the Govan side two men short for the last 20 minutes.

But with seven minutes remaining, Scotland striker Miller rose in textbook fashion to head substitute Steven Naismith's cross past Paul Gallacher and complete the first part of a possible treble for Walter Smith's men.

Miller had the best chance of the first half in the 34th minute when he took a Whittaker pass and drifted in to the box with ease only to fire high over the bar.

With half-time approaching Rangers keeper Neil Alexander was well beaten by David Barron's long-range drive which clipped the crossbar on its way over.

Eight minutes after the break Thomson was shown a red card. The decision looked reasonable but the game turned ugly in the subsequent minutes and amid the bitterness, Kris Boyd, anonymous for most of the game, headed a Novo free-kick over the bar.

Dargo replaced Billy Mehmet in the 70th minute and seconds later the St Mirren substitute was pulled back by Wilson in a 'last-man' situation at the edge of the box which earned the young Ibrox defender a red card, leaving Rangers down to nine men.

Boyd was replaced by Naismith with 11 minutes remaining and in the 83rd minute, in a Rangers breakaway, the former Kilmarnock striker curled a pin-point cross on to the head of Miller who rose to glance his header past Gallacher.

It was a goal fit to win any game and after some desperate defending, Miller and his team-mates deserved the cheers from the Rangers fans when the final whistle blew.