THE celebrations were a mixture of joy and satisfaction, the cheers that marked victory tinged with a sigh of relief. Rangers got the job done, but only just.

This was not the first time this season that Mark Warburton’s side have left it late, and it probably won’t be the last.

The effect that it had on Motherwell was clear as boss Mark McGhee struggled to comprehend what had just unfolded at Ibrox.

If the Steelmen had held on, had Louis Moult’s header been the only goal of the game, then Rangers could have had few complaints about crashing out of the Scottish Cup.

Read more: Lee Wallace: Rangers have to keep Kenny Miller to Ibrox and let him lead the way in Light Blue

The Light Blues were minutes away from a winner’s medal at Hampden in May but they were even closer to a fourth round exit on Saturday.

It took a late brace from Kenny Miller – the first a terrific flying header from Martyn Waghorn’s cross and the second a cool finish after Stephen McManus’ howler – to ensure that Warburton’s side live to fight another day in the competition.

A meeting with one of their Premiership rivals was far from the easiest of ties that Rangers could have been given as they returned to competitive action after the winter break.

And when Moult capitalised on yet another defensive error to convert Chris Cadden’s cross with 16 minutes remaining, it looked like the Gers would fall at the first hurdle.

It is Warburton’s side that continue on the road to Hampden, though. The performance was poor, but the result was all that mattered at Ibrox.

The frantic finale was cup football at its finest but there was little to suggest that the dramatic few minutes was on the cards for most of the afternoon. On and off the park, the supporters and the players struggled to get going.

Read more: Lee Wallace: Rangers have to keep Kenny Miller to Ibrox and let him lead the way in Light Blue

The pattern of play was familiar for Rangers as they retained possession for large spells but Warburton’s side were never productive with it as the Well defence stood firm and remained intact throughout a low-key first half.

The task of finding a way through two solid banks of players in the final third is one that Rangers are presented with almost every week. Practice has not made their approach perfect, though.

Too often their build-up was slow and laboured, the final ball inadequate as half chances never turned into clear scoring opportunities. For Motherwell, it was all going to plan.

The course of the game could have turned with ten minutes remaining of the first half but Warburton and the Ibrox crowd were left bemused by a controversial call from referee Craig Thomson.

As Michael O’Halloran jinxed his way through the bodies inside the area, he was caught by Steven Hammell and went to ground. The appeals fell on deaf ears.

Thomson was well placed to see the incident but somehow decided that it was neither a penalty nor an act of simulation from the 26-year-old as he waved play on. Thankfully for Rangers, it didn’t prove costly come the final blow of Thomson’s whistle.

It was Miller that Warburton had to thank for that. In the twilight of his career, the striker continues to shine at Ibrox.

A lack of cutting edge has cost the Gers dear on several occasions this term but Miller ensured this would not be another story of what might have been. He is a big game player and a big game winner.

He has the traits that few others in Warburton’s side do, he remains one of the few in the squad that the fans can have a belief in when the odds are stacked against their side.

Miller is from a previous era where silverware arrived with regularity at Ibrox yet he cannot single-handedly haul Rangers back to that level. His influence on the park and in the dressing room will be crucial if that ambition is to be achieved, however.

Read more: Lee Wallace: Rangers have to keep Kenny Miller to Ibrox and let him lead the way in Light Blue

Having survived a Scottish Cup scare, Rangers must now avoid a Premiership slip-up when they return to league action at Fir Park this weekend.

They will encounter a Well side determined to make amends for their late collapse but one who will still undoubtedly be feeling the effects of events at Ibrox this morning.

Having dropped five points on their last two top flight outings before the winter shutdown, Rangers have seen their advantage over Aberdeen whittled away and they could have slipped to third spot by the time they take to the field in Lanarkshire.

The lure of Scottish Cup silverware will continue to inspire Warburton’s side but the pressure in the Premiership still weighs heavily on their shoulders.

There will be no medal collected or champagne sprayed for finishing second behind Celtic but that aim is just as important as another run to the National Stadium for Rangers.

Being best of the rest, especially when you consider how large the points deficit could be to their Old Firm rivals, will never be a reason to celebrate at Ibrox.

After four years of extraordinary circumstances, another exception will be made this time around and Rangers must now show they have what it takes to win their battles this term.

The spirit and perseverance that was evident on Saturday will undoubtedly stand them in good stead. Even if they continue to leave it late, the wins are all that matter for Warburton.