AS first impressions go, this wasn’t a bad one from Mark Warburton and his new-look Rangers side.

The result of this friendly fixture against English Championship side Burnley is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things for Rangers, the 1-0 defeat meaning little on a night that the Light Blue legions made their way to Ibrox once again.

It is some time since they have done so with as much enthusiasm and confidence ahead of an upcoming campaign, and they would have left with that optimism intact after they got a glimpse of the future.

The picture is far from perfect and work, of course, still needs to be done if Rangers are to ensure there is no repeat of a calamitous campaign that condemned them to another season in the Championship.

The opening weeks of the season see Rangers face Hibernian in league and cup action, host St Mirren and return to the scenes of so many horror shows when they travel to Alloa and Queen of the South, and it is those tests Warburton must pass to ensure his side get off to a flying start.

This is a decent platform upon which to build, though, and fans will hope the blocks can continue to be put in place at a steady pace as they seek further improvement and signs of progress.

After years of boardroom turmoil and off-field controversy and a campaign that saw performance levels and results fall to unacceptable levels, this term is a fresh start for Rangers across the board.

Gone are the days of protests at the front door and uncertainty over who would lead the team from the touchline as supporters look ahead to a season that promises much and must deliver on and off the park as the rebuilding job continues and sights are set on a return to Scotland’s top flight.

After behind-closed-doors outings against Tottenham Hotspur and Ayr United in recent days, Warburton got his first experience of the Ibrox roar as he renewed acquaintances with Clarets boss Sean Dyche, with whom he worked at Watford as he was starting out on his journey in management.

The new manager, suited and booted, was given a warm reception when he appeared on the big screens before kick-off, as was assistant David Weir as he made his way off the park after putting his side through their paces.

It was a squad that contained a raft of new faces as the extent of the summer clearout at Ibrox was laid bare and proof that Warburton has more than made his mark in terms of personnel already.

There was a start for Wes Foderingham in goal while James Tavernier, signed on Monday from Wigan Athletic, was pitched straight in at right-back.

Danny Wilson and Rob Kiernan formed the new-look partnership at the heart of the defence while Lee Wallace, captain for the evening, was the only player from last season to earn a start in the back five.

It was all change from middle to front as well, Andy Halliday and Jason Holt joining Nicky Law in the middle of the park and Martyn Waghorn leading the line as the lone striker.

He was accompanied from the flanks by two lesser spotted stars from last term, Barrie McKay and David Templeton given early chances to impress and prove that they can salvage Ibrox careers that have stalled so badly in recent years.

It was an attacking line-up from Warburton as he looked to give the home crowd something to cheer and get excited about from the off.

The Englishman has spoken about the need for patience from the stands as he attempts to not only overhaul the squad but implement a fresh philosophy in the coming months, but he will be aware of the requirement to hit the ground running when Rangers head to Easter Road for his first competitive game in charge on Saturday.

Most fans have already bought into the Warburton way after a succession of seasons seeing a less than attractive brand of football played in Scotland’s lower leagues and the signs were encouraging at first viewing.

In Waghorn, Rangers may have a focal point to the forward line and someone who can hold the ball up and bring others into play, but there were no aimless punts from one end of the park to the other in search of the former Wigan striker.

Instead, the attacks were built from the back, the passing slick and precise as the difference between Rangers of this season and last, even at this early stage, quickly became evident.

There was no gulf in class between the teams that will be competing for promotion from the second tiers on their respective sides of the border in the coming months, but there was a goal that separated them at the break.

Rangers had carved out most of the chances in the first half, Waghorn coming close with a header and shot after a neat flick from McKay, but it was Scott Arfield who celebrated, the former Falkirk midfielder finishing neatly after capitalising on an error from Wilson as he failed to clear his lines on the edge of the area.

There were occasions when the desire to keep the ball on the deck almost cost Rangers and there are likely to be a few gasps and sighs of relief heard around Ibrox in the coming months as fans get accustomed to the new style of play.

With 64 minutes on the clock, they were given a sight of a string of familiar faces as Darren McGregor, Fraser Aird, Dean Shiels, Tom Walsh, Nicky Clark and Kenny Miller were introduced, as was youngster Jordan Thompson as he made his debut.

There was still a lack of cutting edge from Warburton’s side, though, as most of their play and possession came to nothing and the 22,344-strong Ibrox crowd were left frustrated and the scoreboard untroubled.

It was to prove a mixed evening, the positives outweighing the negatives for Warburton.

There must be further improvement, and a reverse of the scoreline, at Easter Road this weekend if the early enthusiasm is to be maintained, though.