RANGERS kept up their unbeaten league run going at the expense of a dogged Dunfermline team.

The Pars had chances but superior finishing from the newly-crowned League One champions left Jim Jefferies' frustrated.

Rangers started brightly and could have taken the lead inside two minutes when a mix-up between Callum Morris and Ryan Scully gave Nicky Clark a sight of goal but the Pars backline managed to hack the ball away.

The visitors did not escape fully unscathed though as Scully limped off to be replaced in goal by Ryan Goodfellow.

And the young keeper was surprisingly a virtual spectator in the first half as the Pars carved out the better chances.

Lawrence Shankland headed just over from a Danny Grainger free kick and then Stephen Husband tested out Cammy Bell with a fierce drive.

A succession of free kicks on the edge of the box went begging for Ross Forbes, his first was blocked with a hand by Richard Foster and his second spun just wide.

The away side were looking confident on the ball but their failure to take their chances came back to haunt them on the stroke of half-time. Andy Geggan tripped Arnold Peralta and Steven Smith curled a beautiful 25 yard free kick into the top corner of Goodfellow's net.

The pace of the match slowed down in the second half and Rangers had most of the play without carving out many clear cut chances.

Substitute Allan Smith had the home fans worried when he nicked the ball from Foster as he tried to shepherd it out for a corner but his ball across goal was cut out by Arnold Peralta.

Husband tested Bell from distance before the Pars' uphill task was made even harder as Danny Grainger was sent off for a second bookable offence when he hauled down Callum Gallagher 11 minutes from time.

To their credit, the visitors' didn't give in and a Husband cross caused panic in the Rangers box when Geggan headed it down but it was just out of the reach of Jonathan Page.

But with the clock winding down Rangers sealed the win in injury time. Ian Black ran at the Dunfermline defence, Geggan poked it away from him but it fell to Gallagher who fired a low shot past Goodfellow.

A much improved performance from the Pars - the evidence of their quality was there - but ultimately, a couple of lapses in concentration took it away from them.

Rangers: Bell, Foster, Mohsni (Cribari 46), Aird, Faure, McCulloch (Hutton 59), Peralta, Black, Clark, Crawford, Smith (Gallagher 74).

Subs: Simonsen, Wallace, Shiels, Daly.

Goals: Smith 45, Gallagher 90.

Booked: Mohsni 8, Foster 27, McCulloch 44.

Dunfermline: Scully (Goodfellow 5), Millen, Grainger, Page, Morris, Geggan, El Bakhtaoui (Smith 72), Husband, Shankland, Forbes, Whittle (Byrne 28).

Subs not used: Thomson, Falkingham, Martin, Williamson.

Booked: Grainger 19, Whittle 25, Forbes 43.

Sent off: Grainger 79.

Attendance: 44,110 Referee: Kevin Clancy.