Connor Goldson handed Raith Rovers two warnings before opening the scoring at Ibrox yesterday.

The first occasion saw him nearly connect at the back post following a short corner routine, as he did to break the deadlock last weekend against Kilmarnock. A header soon after found the target as well as the gloves of Jamie MacDonald.

At the third opportunity, there was no mistake. Goldson met Borna Barisic’s out-swinging delivery and stuck it back into the far corner. After a half of frustration, on a day featuring little excitement, Ibrox let out a collective celebration that was stacked full of relief.

This was the 10th set-piece goal Rangers have scored in 18 matches under Beale, two of which have been direct free-kicks.

Often, their importance is only fully realised in matches like yesterday's 3-0 win, when every other method of attack meets a brick wall. Even if, unlike the week prior, no floodgates opened up thereafter and Wednesday’s entertainment was not on show.

“When the first goal goes in from a corner you hope the game opens up a bit but it didn’t, they stayed disciplined and stuck to their task so it made for a slow game,” Michael Beale said speaking in his post-match press conference.

“I just felt there was a level of expectation from the crowd in the stadium today, it was a slow game and everyone was expecting us to be free-flowing like we were in midweek.

“Styles make games and they stayed in and made it difficult at times. They had ten players around their 18-yard box and they were blocking little things. After the high of Wednesday, we had to go through that one today.”

Rangers Review:

Perhaps Ibrox had used up its allowance of excitement during the previous Scottish Cup round it witnessed last month.

Then, Partick Thistle took the lead and levelled the game after Beale instructed his team to give up a goal, in response to Malik Tillman’s controversial strike. Yesterday, 90 minutes passed without any drama, at least on the pitch.

Off it, the Union Bears boycotted the match in protest, claiming they had “planned to display various legitimate message banners highlighting different issues surrounding our club and support” but seeing “Police Scotland and Rangers FC jointly remove these materials without our knowledge and block access to regular matchday materials".

Rangers, in an earlier statement, said they “refused to allow an offensive banner relating to the police service to be displayed”.

“The Union Bears elected to absent themselves from the stadium because the Club would not permit the offensive anti-police banner display,” they added.

Their absence, in combination with a slow game, didn’t lead to an enlivened atmosphere.

These games can become something of a poisoned chalice if an advantage isn't established early on. It took 42 minutes for Rangers to open the scoring just as restlessness was starting to creep in.

Beale’s spoken on numerous occasions about space being the catalyst for the type of performances witnessed at Easter Road and Tynecastle in recent months and here there was none. Raith were, in the words of defender Tom Lang “tight, compact, letting [Rangers] go out wide and defending the box”.

That’s not an untested plan for away sides at Ibrox but in conjunction with the rest of the day’s ingredients, it found a perfect setting. The space was too limited for the hosts’ to go through and only occasionally did their tempo warrant a free man on the outside by some method of outplaying.

Rangers’ main response was the left boot of Barisic, which repeatedly arrowed crosses into the box, providing nearly moments without certain recipients. There was only one change made from the midweek win against Hibs which rightly earned so much adulation, with John Lundstram replacing Ryan Jack, and yet the product was very different. Why? Because the game’s environment was too.

“The really top teams who pay millions for their players find those moments difficult - we’ll go away and work on it," Beale added, reflecting on the game. 

“We need to pass and run a bit more. We got into good areas but when we get into good areas we need people really running.

“I’d like to see us taking more shots from distance because that might get people up to the ball. We tried a lot of those things without being at our free-flowing best."

It’s no coincidence the two games which have really excited supporters have been away ties in Edinburgh, where the hosts’ expectant crowds don't allow for containment. 

The task at home is different. Whereas both sides wanted to play with speed in the aforementioned capital trips, at Ibrox the opponent will naturally seek to slow things down. Leaving the hosts with the task of single-handily setting the tempo.

"Two teams play the game and if Raith come and have a go that’ll give us more space to play into so the game becomes faster for example," Beale had prefaced in midweek.

Away from home, that space will be available as a pre-requisite. Att home, it has to be created and earned before chances come into the reckoning. 

This was another win for Beale, his 16th in 18 matches, and that is ultimately what matters.

The defence has been solidified and set-pieces have regained their attacking importance. While setting the tempo, and entertainment regardless of the game state, remains a work in progress.