Rangers toast Premiership return with a win at Dens Park

Rangers earned their first win of the Scottish Premiership season as they ground out a 2-1 victory over Dundee at Dens Park.

The off-balance Harry Forrester scored a superb opener for the Glasgow giants as he fired past Bain in the 14th minute, before veteran striker Kenny Miller doubled their advantage with a fine finish 25 minutes later.

Rangers were on top but their defensive frailties were exposed by Dundee when Mark O'Hara powered home a header from a corner two minutes before the break. Dundee improved dramatically in the second half but were let down by their finishing as Rangers held on to claim the three points.

Rivals Celtic's game against Partick Thistle was postponed to allow the Hoops to play a friendly against Inter Milan in Ireland.

“The last half hour of the first half I thought we were very good. We created chance after chance and in truth we should have been out of sight”, Rangers manager Mark Warburton said. “I was pleased with that but in the second half we dipped a little bit and were a bit hesitant and nervous”.

Dundee manager Paul Hartley felt there were encouraging signs despite defeat. “I felt the second half was really good and we got close to them,' he told reporters afterwards. “I thought we looked quite comfortable but the two goals we lost were really sloppy”.

Rangers made three changes to the side that drew with Hamilton as Danny Wilson returned from suspension and Jordan Rossiter and Forrester were handed starts. Forrester had made the difference last weekend as he came off the bench to set up his side's equaliser and the forward made an instant impact against Dundee as he grabbed the opener.

Dundee's Cammy Kerr failed to clear the danger with a weak header and Forrester showed great reflexes and agility to arrow a shot into the top corner of the net, leaving goalkeeper Scott Bain with no chance. Forrester fired a shot just over before coming close with a header from James Tavernier's cross as he looked in the mood to add to his tally.

A superb move ended with Miller increasing Rangers' lead in the 39th minute. McKay floated a wonderfully weighted pass down the left flank for Wallace, whose cut-back fell to Miller and the 36-year-old fired a left-foot shot high past Bain.

Miller should have added another moments later when he was played clean through on goal by McKay but his touch was poor and Bain was able to save at his feet. Rangers looked in control but Dundee pulled one back a minute before the break as they took advantage of their opponents' vulnerability at set pieces.

O'Hara peeled away from marker Joey Barton to thump a header beyond Foderingham from a Danny Williams corner. Bain then came to the rescue for Dundee as he stopped Miller's effort after McKay had picked him out with a cut-back from the by-line.

The Gers brought on Croatian international Niko Kranjcar and Joe Dodoo in the second half as they looked to increase their advantage but it was Dundee who impressed more. Rangers keeper Foderingham survived a second-half scare when his poor kick went straight to Yordi Teijsse, but the Dundee substitute sent his weak effort back into the arms of the stopper. Teijsse then sent a header narrowly wide from a corner as Rangers continued to look unconvincing from corners, but the 54-time champions held on.