TWO red cards in two games only tell part of the story of the Premiership season so far for Rangers. More importantly, four points have been earned and one chance has been taken.

The dismissal of Alfredo Morelos at Pittodrie last weekend, overturned on appeal, provoked outrage from the stands and intriguing comments from the dugout. It also cost Steven Gerrard’s side an opening day win as Aberdeen left it late to snatch a draw.

There was never any chance of St Mirren inflicting a similar blow on Rangers at Ibrox. Ross McCrorie’s red card will disappoint the player and frustrate his manager, but it was the only punishment the Gers suffered on Sunday.

Having seen Celtic succumb to Hearts the previous day, this was an opportunity Rangers couldn’t afford to pass up. If they are to sustain any challenge for the title, every opening must be seized upon.

It may only have been the second game of the campaign, but there was no doubting the importance of it for Gerrard and his players. The victory was comfortable and deserved as they ensured another fixture was ticked off with relative ease.

Supporters had arrived still on a high after the Europa League win over Maribor on Thursday night and Gerrard had to ensure the momentum was maintained.

Goals from Morelos and Connor Goldson clinched the points and Rangers can now turn their attentions back to European exploits having overcome another challenge with both a style and a determination.

With the trip to Slovenia to come in midweek, it was no surprise to see Gerrard make a couple of changes for the first home league outing of the campaign.

Captain James Tavernier was rested as Jon Flanagan, suspended for the Maribor return fixture, switched to right-back and Gerrard’s most recent signing, Borna Barisic, was handed his debut.

There was a return, albeit a short-lived one, for McCrorie in the middle of the park, while Jamie Murphy was also recalled to the side. Even with a couple of switches, it was still a strong line-up and one more than capable of getting the job done.

The game wasn’t even half an hour old by the time Rangers had done just that as Morelos and Goldson put them out of St Mirren’s reach.

The Colombian fired wide of target when he was picked out by Goldson after just four minutes but the next time he got a sight of goal he made no mistake.

Murphy nipped in to dispossess Jack Baird and Morelos was in the clear. His finish, low beyond Craig Samson, was clinical and Rangers were off and running.

With the Ibrox crowd behind them, Gerrard’s side looked dangerous every time they ventured forward and Barisic was wasting little time in showing what he will add to the team this term.

The Croat had been the star man for Osijek over their two legs against Rangers and he was a constant threat down the left hand his. He can hit a dead ball, too.

He was involved early on when he set Morelos free with a smart reverse pass but the move wasn’t finished by Kent as he low shot was saved. Barisic soon had an assist to his name, though.

A free kick from the right channel was whipped in with pace and accuracy and Goldson showed he can be a commanding presence in either area as he rose well and powered a header beyond Samson.

At that stage, it looked like it would be a long afternoon for St Mirren but a red card shown to McCrorie gave them hope when it appeared to have been fading quickly.

A run from Nicolai Brock-Madsen was brought to an abrupt halt when McCrorie slid in on the edge of the area. The free-kick was the right call but Don Robertson’s decision to send McCrorie off infuriated the Ibrox crowd.

It put Rangers off their stride for a period as the Buddies grew into the game and in confidence. They still had plenty of work to do, though.

The mission would have been impossible had a header from Nikola Katic found the bottom corner rather than cracking off Samson’s right hand post but a terrific effort from Danny Mullen that clipped the woodwork at the other end was a warning that the visitors still fancied their chances.

St Mirren needed to come charging out of the blocks after the break but Rangers were comfortable and in control. The upset was never on.

A shot from Morelos that he skewed well wide didn’t have Samson troubled but McGregor dealt easily with a couple of crosses as the Buddies struggled to put Rangers under any sustained pressure.

The arrivals of Tavernier, on to replace Barisic, and Andy Halliday, the midfielder taking over from Kent, were a sign that Gerrard was content and not overly concerned. The third goal wasn’t needed to clinch the three points.

With the game won, Gerrard could afford to replace Morelos and give the striker a well-earned rest ahead of Maribor, while allowing Umar Sadiq to get more match time under his belt as he looks to get up to full speed this term. A late shot from distance that was saved was as close as he came.

This was the kind of afternoon that would have been unnecessarily fraught for Rangers last term but it turned out to be rather routine for Gerrard’s side.

For a support that have seen it all over the years, that will be as pleasing a factor as any. Now, the next challenge awaits.