Fans were up for the fight but Rangers were left on the canvas

the players never looked like winning the war, though.

After three years apart, Rangers and Celtic squared up once again at Hampden yesterday, but it was to prove a chastening afternoon for the Light Blue legions.

The hostilities began long before kick-off and continued until the Celtic support had the final cheer of the match, the last blast of Craig Thomson's whistle signalling job done as a 2-0 win was achieved with the minimum of fuss and effort.

The action on the park might have been a mismatch, but the noise from the stands had all the hallmarks of an Old Firm encounter as rivalries were resumed once again on derby day.

Rangers fans made their way to Hampden more in hope than expectation and left defeated but defiant, even after seeing their side turn in an abject display.

When Leigh Griffiths and Kris Commons fired Celtic into a first-half lead, an advantage that would prove insurmountable, it would have been easy for the thousands in the Rangers end to lose faith.

They would, though, clap Kenny McDowall's players off the park before heading for the exits, and will now spend the coming days pouring over a defeat that raised yet more questions and provided few answers about the character and quality of this squad.

After two-and-a-bit seasons of meandering around the Scottish lower leagues in the quest for a return to Scotland's top flight, the trip to Hampden was much more like it for a support that is accustomed to cup finals and silverware.

Rangers will aim to return to the National Stadium for the Scottish Cup final in May and be back playing top-flight football come the end of the campaign.

The players on the pitch didn't match the demands of the fans in the stand, but derby debutant Jon Daly was thankful for their efforts as those of McDowall's side failed to pay dividends.

"It was a great turnout from the fans and we were disappointed we couldn't get the win for them," Daly told SportTimes.

"It is hard to enjoy it when you have been beaten. The main aim was to win the game and that hasn't happened.

"The occasion was everything I expected. It was a great atmosphere and the fans were fantastic throughout. Even when we were two goals down, they stood by the team and tried to spur us on.

"It is bitterly disappointing for the lads and the fans that we have not come away with the win.

"The club is massive, there is no getting away from that. There are troubles off the park, but when you look at the turnout and the support we got yesterday, that shows you all you need to know.

"We all know how big the club is and how far we can go. But that is in the future. The Celtic game was a big one for us and we didn't get the result we wanted."

After the noise reached a crescendo as the teams emerged from the tunnel and the action got underway, it was only the Celtic support who had the chance to cheer and celebrate.

In a first half littered with defensive calamities from Rangers, only two were punished as Griffiths headed home from close range and Commons found the top corner with a sweet strike.

From then on, it was about damage limitation and the restoration of a bit of pride.

To some extent, it was mission accomplished, but the gulf in class only served to highlight how far Rangers have still to go before they are back at an acceptable level.

Daly said: "Obviously the players and the manager are all disappointed. We set up a certain way, but then found ourselves a goal down after ten minutes. We tried to hang on and keep ourselves in the game, but the second goal gave us a bigger mountain to climb.

"We were better in the second half, but we can't afford to give a team like Celtic a two-goal head start. That will be disappointing for the manager, as it is for the players, but we will come back from this together."

The damage may have been done at Hampden, but the road to redemption will start on home soil this weekend when Raith Rovers arrive at Ibrox.

The Scottish Cup clash will give McDowall's side a chance to get back on track and take another step towards a Mount Florida return before they get back down to the business of attempting to reel in Hearts or, more likely, earn promotion through the play-offs.

And Daly is keen to start writing the wrongs as an improved showing after the break proved scant consolation for Rangers.

He said: "I thought we were a bit better in the second half, but we didn't do enough to get ourselves back in the game.

"It is very disappointing, but we have to get it out of our system and get our heads focused on the next game. It will be a tough game against Raith, but it is a chance to get into the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup.

"It hurts when you lose any game and all the boys will be feeling down, we are all disappointed.

"But we need to try and get over it and bounce back in the next game. It is another cup-tie and another opportunity for us. We want to do well in the Scottish Cup. This was a bitter one to take. We need to bounce back from this quickly and get back on track.

"Hopefully we can get a win against Raith and then we need to get motoring in the league and try and claw back Hearts, who are flying at the moment."