Rangers clinched a gritty 2-1 victory over St Mirren at Ibrox, Sunday, with substitute Cyriel Dessers playing a key role in securing the three points.

Dessers, who was left out of the starting lineup due to an eye injury sustained against FCSB, was called into action in the second half with the score tied at 1-1.

Rangers had initially taken the lead through Mohamed Diomande, who reacted quickly to tap in after Nicolas Raskin’s powerful shot was parried by St Mirren’s defense.

St Mirren answered swiftly, with Alex Gogic leveling the score with a well-placed header that stirred unease among the home fans as halftime approached.

Shortly after the break, St Mirren’s Toyosi Olusanya looked set to give his side the lead, but his effort was ruled offside, keeping the sides level.

Rangers then brought on Dessers, whose presence sparked new energy in the team.

Within ten minutes of entering, Dessers nearly scored with a difficult header that was saved by St Mirren’s goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe.

The breakthrough came when Dessers embarked on a brilliant solo run, breaking down St Mirren’s defense and setting up Vaclav Cerny, who bundled the ball into the net for the winning goal.

Dessers’ efforts proved decisive, as Rangers held on to secure a much-needed win that kept their rivals Celtic and Aberdeen from extending the gap at the top of the table.