Bojan Miovski came off the bench to break the deadlock in stoppage time - and spark wild scenes of celebration - as Rangers leapfrogged visitors St Mirren into second place in the Scottish Premiership.

Just as it looked like the Paisley side would leave the home fans frustrated after controlling the second half, substitute striker Miovski pounced on a Ryan Naderi flick to chip goalkeeper Jacob Chapman.

St Mirren were thrashed 5-1 as the holders were dumped out of the League Cup on their last visit to Ibrox nearly a month ago.

As they did then, Derek McInnes' side threatened to blow away the visitors in the early stages. Chapman produced a string of fine saves to deny Naderi, Nicolas Raskin, Djeidi Gassama, Kevin Kelsy and even team-mate Calvin Ramsay.

As against Celtic on Saturday, St Mirren were a constant threat on the break, though, with Rangers centre-back Emmanuel Fernandez fortunate not to concede a spot-kick for a late challenge, while Ramsay passed up two good chances.

The visitors had settled as Rangers appeared to run out of ideas, their 13 goal attempts and eight corners failing to bring a breakthrough before half-time.

St Mirren survived, gradually started to exert control after the break, and Fraser Taylor should have given them the lead when put through one-on-one with Ivor Pandur, only to fire straight at the goalkeeper, before Miovski snatched the points.

Rangers had shown similar profligacy on Saturday, when one goal was just enough to dispose of Motherwell at Ibrox.

With Scotland striker Lawrence Shankland joining Youssef Chermiti as a long-term absentee, new signing Kelsy was handed a first start alongside Naderi. On-loan Stuttgart winger Badredine Bouanani made his debut, too.

The combination, with a switch to a 4-4-2 formation from the recently successful 4-2-3-1, immediately put the visitors under pressure.

Kelsy was hauled off just short of the hour mark but the change back to 4-2-3-1 appeared to make little difference as Rangers fans poured towards the exits while their expensively assembled side looked more likely to concede than find a winner.

However, Miovski, the forgotten man among Rangers' band of misfiring strikers, came to the rescue.

It is a sign of Rangers' times that a 1-0 home win over St Mirren was greeted with such over-the-top celebrations.

But perhaps it was understandable considering a draw would have left them seven points behind reigning champions Celtic before the double-header against their city rivals in the League Cup and Premiership.

The League Cup thrashing at Ibrox was St Mirren's only defeat in five trips away from Paisley this season and they had won the other four without conceding.

Having given reigning champions Celtic a fright on Saturday, manager Craig McLeish was looking for more of the same against the other side of the Old Firm.

However, with on-loan Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio unable to face his parent club, and Louis Jackson, the 20-year-old centre-back signed from Manchester United, handed his debut, the visitors took time to settle.

As against Celtic, Ismeal Kabia was a constant threat and it was the on-loan Arsenal winger who gradually worked the visitors into the game.

However, it was Ryan Carr, the 21-year-old summer arrival from Ipswich Town, who wrested control of the midfield from Rangers after the break.

He and his team-mates can count themselves unfortunate to have come away from two games against the Old Firm without at least a point after threatening a fourth consecutive away league win.

McLeish will surely take the positives from both performances while lamenting that golden chance missed by Taylor.

Rangers manager Derek McInnes: "I thought we got what we deserved. Granted, St Mirren had a 20-minute period in the second half when they were better than us.

"They played with a bit more belief and came after us and we were guilty of so many poor decisions.

"But I thought the performance for the first hour was really strong, particularly the first half, where we absolutely battered St Mirren.

"There are obviously loads we have to improve on, but we have to keep winning while we are looking for those."

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish: "I'm so proud of the group - proud of their performance and how brave we were.

"We had to weather some storms in the first half and Chappie's [Jacob Chapman] had to make some great saves, but we have to defend like that if we want to achieve anything.

"We were excellent in the second half. There's disappointment because you come so close to getting a point, but our season can't be defined by picking up a point at Ibrox.

"We have to pick up points elsewhere. If we continue to play with that bravery, I am sure we will do that."