Walter Smith suffered the most costly defeat of his managerial career the last time he bowed out of Ibrox.

He was, however, treated to a more appropriate send-off in his final home game as Rangers manager second time around as his team took an enormous step towards securing the SPL championship with a 2-0 victory over Dundee United.

Smith will be a man of few regrets with just days remaining of his tenure. That, of course, is hardly surprising considering he has delivered nine titles, won the Scottish Cup on five occasions and recorded six League Cup successes.

If he could turn back the clock though, and select from just one result to overturn throughout his two spells in the Ibrox dugout, the defeat at home to Kilmar- nock which cost Rangers a 10th successive title would surely be the one he would erase from the history books.

That said, perhaps the heartache of that failure might just have been the driving force or an added incentive to make sure he did not suffer the same fate second time around. And it now appears odds-on that Smith will walk away this time as a title-winning manager.

In a bid not to distract his players from the obvious priority of taking care of business and banking all three points against a Dundee United side which defeated them on their last visit to Ibrox, it was very much a low-key approach from Smith in his final bow in front of the Light Blue legions.

There were banners saluting his efforts throughout the stadium but, like he always does, Smith started the match in the directors' box, occasionally popping down to the technical area to pass on some instructions to Ally McCoist and Kenny McDowall.

At the end, however, it was a different story. Goals from Nikica Jelavic and Kyle Laffery made sure of the victory and Smith was left with no option but to join his players on a lap of honour as the fans gave him a standing ovation.

"I really appreciated people staying behind and applauding in the manner in which they did so," said Smith. "I had the grand- children out there with me and hopefully when they are older they will remember their grandfather was the manager of Rangers at one time.

"When everyone was talking about the fact it was my last game at Ibrox, you worry that people might take their eye off the ball, but I'm delighted that wasn't the case and we managed to win.

"For me, that was the most important thing. From a personal point of view, it will be nice to look back on the reception I received from the supporters further down the line, but we've still got one huge game to go and we've got to now focus on that."

That, of course, is providing Celtic manage to take all three points this evening when they take on Hearts at Tynecastle.

As things stand, Rangers have once again opened up a four-point gap at the top of the table.

And, just as pleasing no doubt for Smith is the fact his players seem to be playing some of their best football of the campaign.

Like previous fixtures, Rangers wasted no time in coming out the traps. Fielding exactly the same team as the one which disposed of Hearts at the weekend, Smith avoided the obvious temptation to hand Lee McCulloch a starting slot in favour of a more attack-minded midfield.

Jelavic was partnered in attack with Lafferty, but they were supported at every available opportunity by Steven Naismith, Steven Davis, Gregg Wylde and even Maurice Edu. And it all proved too much for United to handle in the early stages of the game.

When Jelavic opened the scoring, the stadium erupted as though the title was secured there and then such was the importance of this fixture. When Lafferty doubled their advantage, manager-in-waiting McCoist's reaction summed up the importance of it as he punched the air in delight.

It was perhaps the best half-an-hour of football Rangers have produced this season and Smith says it couldn't have come at a better time.

"It was a good night for us," he said. "I thought we played really well in the first half-hour, as well as we have done. After that, Dundee United came back into the game and probably shaded it in the second half without troubling our goal too often.

"But it was an important victory and we now need to do the same on Sunday at Kilmarnock."

Having managed to avoid losing his last game at Ibrox as manager second time around, Smith will more than ever want to avoid blowing it on the final day of the season and walking away without delivering the title.

The way his team are playing just now, it would seem highly unlikely the Rangers legend won't add one final trophy to the collection before he quits the hotseat for good.

Ally: Lap of honour was for Walter

Ally McCoist insists Rangers' lap of honour last night was to bid farewell to Walter Smith, not an early title party.

The Gers moved to within three points of three-in-a-row with a 2-0 win over Dundee United in what was Smith's final game in charge at Ibrox.

McCoist said: "This season, when people have been picking things up wrongly, I want you all to know what happened after the match was for Walter Smith and Walter Smith only.

"Our lads and management team are not taking anything for granted. In no way were we being disrespectful to Kilmarnock. The league championship is far from won and I just wanted to let you know that the lap of honour was for Walter and Walter only."