RANGERS have clinched their place in the Petrofac Training Cup final after a 4-0 win over St Mirren at Ibrox.

The Light Blues will face Peterhead on April 10 next year as Mark Warburton looks to lift his first silverware as Gers boss.

Goals in either half from Jason Holt and Kenny Miller secured the win for Rangers as they bounced back from their Championship draw with Livingston with a deserved victory.

Glasgow Times: Rangers Kenny Miller (left) celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the Petrofac Training Cup semi-final

Martyn Waghorn netted his 18th goal of the campaign in the closing stages before Sean Kelly converted a Dean Shiels cross into his own net in the last minute.

Boss Warburton made two changes to the side that dropped crucial Championship points last weekend as Danny Wilson replaced Dominic Ball at the heart of the Light Blues defence and Kenny Miller took over from Nathan Oduwa in the final third.

The Ibrox crowd would have been expecting a quick start from their side after a frustrating couple of weeks and they were denied twice in the opening six minutes, keeper Jamie Langfield pulling off smart saves from Gedion Zelalem and Lee Wallace.

After Steven Mallan had tried his luck with a long-range free-kick, Barrie McKay saw a low shot blocked by Langfield’s legs before Holt came close from a tight angle.

With 18 minutes on the clock, attentions in the stands briefly turned to off-field matters as fans held up a series of banners in protest at Sports Direct and Mike Ashley.

Chairman Dave King confirmed at Friday’s AGM that the Ibrox board would repay the £5million loan to the businessman but fury towards the Newcastle United owner from supporters remains high.

*Dave King reckons Rangers are ‘one of the strongest clubs financially in the world’

*Dave King admits Rangers' commercial deals were ‘poorly negotiated’ by the former Ibrox regime

*Dave King: Rangers are 'probably a year away' from attracting outside investment at Ibrox

Glasgow Times: Rangers manager Mark Warburton, left, and chairman Dave King at the Ibrox club's AGM yesterday.

A series of anti-Ashley chants were started in the Broomloan Front and the scenes were repeated in the 72nd minute as the Light Blue legions continue to show their anger at the controversial merchandise deals in place between Rangers and Sports Direct and at Ashley’s tactics towards the Gers board.

On the park, Warburton’s side were well in control and they should have seen their possession pay off but Martyn Waghorn couldn’t add to his tally this term as, after collecting a terrific through ball from McKay, his shot was somehow cleared off the line by Kelly.

The Gers didn’t have to wait long to break the deadlock, though. It was Halliday who split the Saints defence this time as his scooped pass from the edge of the area found Holt and the midfielder made no mistake as he controlled the ball and fired home at the near post.

It should have been the springboard for Rangers to go on and see out the match but they started the second half in a low key manner as St Mirren grew into the game.

After Waghorn saw a free-kick saved, Warburton turned to his bench as Nicky Clark and Shiels entered the action, McKay and the impressive Holt the players to make way just after the hour mark.

It was Ian Murray’s side who came closest to scoring the second goal of the afternoon, though, Stuart Carswell rattling the bar with strike from 18 yards as Ibrox breathed a sigh of relief.

With 15 minutes left, Rangers got the goal they needed as Miller tapped home a Waghorn cross into an empty net with his final touch of the game before he was replaced by Ryan Hardie.

There was still time for another two strikes for Warburton’s side as Waghorn burst forward and found the bottom corner of Langfield’s net before Kelly’s own goal to add a shine to the scoreline for Rangers.

Glasgow Times: 28/11/15 PETROFAC TRAINING CUP SEMI-FINAL RANGERS V ST MIRREN IBROX - GLASGOW Martyn Waghorn (centre) races off to celebrate after scoring Rangers' third goal of the game (47770103)

It was far from their best showing of the campaign, but it was still a deserved win for the Light Blues as they took another step towards the silverware.

RANGERS: Foderingham; Tavernier, Wilson, Kiernan, Wallace; Halliday, Holt (Shiels 62), Zelalem, McKay (Clark 62), Miller (Hardie 76), Waghorn

Goals: Holt 33, Miller 76, Waghorn 84, Kelly OG 90

Booked:

ST MIRREN: Langfield; Reid, Baird, Webster, Kelly; Carswell, Agnew; McMullan (Morgan 45), Mallan (Stewart 85), Gallagher; McLear (Thompson 70)

Goals:

Booked: Mallan, Carswell