THE substance was more important than the style. It may not have been the performance that Rangers hoped for, but the points earned were far more significant.

It was a case of could do better for Mark Warburton’s side on Saturday, yet the satisfaction of a job done should have outweighed any disappointment about how the victory came about.

The second weekend of the campaign is, even by Rangers’ standards, extremely early to be facing the first ‘must win’ game of the season, but that was the situation Warburton’s side found themselves in ahead of the trip to Dens Park. Having dropped two points at home to Hamilton seven days previously, Rangers had to respond.

Failure to return to Ibrox with a win would have raised questions about the Gers’ title credentials this term and added even more pressure on their shoulders in the matches with Motherwell and Kilmarnock as the first Old Firm derby looms large on the horizon.

A 2-1 victory over Dundee may not be the most lauded achievement of Warburton’s reign, but it was an essential one nonetheless.

It wasn’t always pretty, and for most of the second half it was far from it, but it proved effective enough for Rangers as they got their first win on the Premiership board thanks to first half goals from Harry Forrester and Kenny Miller.

When Miller fired the ball beyond Scott Bain after 39 minutes, that should have been that for Rangers. But an afternoon that had gone so well until then could easily have turned into another one to forget for Warburton.

A couple of missed chances, and a Mark O’Hara header later, Rangers had a fight on their hands. Thankfully for Warburton, Dundee couldn’t hit the target again, never mind land a knockout punch to deny them victory.

There were anxious moments for the Gers boss and the travelling support as Forrester escaped a second booking and Dundee had spells of pressure. The final whistle was met with relief as much as joy.

This wasn’t the type of showing that Warburton expects from his side, but it was one that would have been heartening as well as frustrating. Having found themselves in a situation they shouldn’t have, Rangers were able to dig deep and see it out.

More often than not, Rangers should have enough about them between now and the end of the season to overcome whoever visits Ibrox every other weekend. Their form at home will be the foundation upon which Warburton will hope a title bid can be built.

It will be their results on the road that will determine if the dream becomes a reality, though. The trips to Dens Park, Pittodrie, Tynecastle and Parkhead will pose more challenges than any others for Rangers and they will be pleased to have overcome the first hurdle without faltering for a second time in the Premiership.

If a challenge for the silverware is to be sustained in the coming months, Warburton will know his side can’t afford to turn in such mixed performances. There have been positives in spells against Hamilton and Dundee, but Rangers have yet to completely execute their game plan.

The Gers could, and should, have been out of sight by the time a familiar weakness cost them dear and O’Hara headed home from a corner but a series of positive attacking phases came to nothing, either through a wrong decision in the final third or a poor finish in front of goal.

Warburton remains in the market for a defender and a striker and the 90 minutes at Dens Park proved why. Rangers are on the right track, but the final two additions that Warburton makes will determine how realistic their title ambitions are.

A Dundee forward line deprived of the recently departed Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart posed little threat in the first half as Rangers dominated possession and controlled the game but, as their levels dropped after the break, Paul Hartley’s side were able to gain a foothold in what looked like it would be a one-sided affair.

The style that is the blueprint of Warburton’s philosophy was hardly evident after the break and that was a source of frustration for the 53-year-old. It was workmanlike rather than swashbuckling in the second half from Rangers and in stark contrast to what fans hope this side will be capable of.

Warburton was pleased with the resilience of his team, but it was a quality that Rangers shouldn’t have had to show. It is one that will be summoned from within over the course of the campaign, though.

Every below par performance, every dropped point will be seized upon by Rangers’ detractors in the coming weeks and months as they seek to prove that Warburton’s side don’t have what it takes to compete at the top of the Premiership.

An increase in their level of play would be one way to silence their critics. Putting more wins on the board would be even more beneficial, though.