THE RANGERS squad ambled around Ibrox on a slow, easy lap of honour a few minutes after full-time yesterday. It was a happy scene, relaxed and carefree as they milked their supporters' applause and were bathed in goodwill ahead of leaving for Manchester tomorrow and Wednesday's Uefa Cup final.

After their final home match of an extraordinary season - the next five games will reveal just how extraordinary - there was even the tradition of players' children toddling around on the pitch with them.

It was as if the bairns were skipping over a battlefield, given the angry match which had just taken place at Ibrox.

As Rangers were strolling in the sun Craig Levein was brewing an almighty outburst against referee Mike McCurry for giving two big decisions against his Dundee United team in the second half.

Levein's mood was black enough to put a cloud over the whole of Ibrox, or it would have been if any of the home supporters cared.

They came to see a victory, to hope that all of their team emerged from it unscathed, and to send the squad away to a European final with a spring in its step. Mission accomplished on all three counts.

Levein was cynical enough to acknowledge that no-one really "gave a toss" about Dundee United in the bigger scheme of things here, and that was the way it felt as the Rangers players and management revelled in a win which took them to within a point of Celtic with a game in hand.

Dean Furman came off the bench for a second-half debut but Ibrox was more concerned by the player he replaced. Kevin Thomson limped slightly as he left the pitch.

"Kevin took a bit of a knock on the ankle which was stiffening up at half time," said Rangers manager Walter Smith. "He had a bit of a problem with it but the physio is hopeful he will be okay for Wednesday."

Barry Ferguson, Kirk Broadfoot and Sasa Papac were also in the wars at times but all made it through.

McCurry spoiled the afternoon for United, but as a team they had made it a decent match. Rangers were cruising thanks to Nacho Novo's early goals until United recovered to frighten them in the second half.

Had the decisions gone for them the match, the title race, and their own attempt to finish third and qualify for the Uefa Cup, might look different this morning.

Instead Levein and his players went away feeling victimised. It was 2-0 when Davie Weir gave the ball away and then brought down Noel Hunt in the penalty area. It was a penalty, but somehow not in McCurry or assistant referee Stuart MacAulay's eyes.

That came after 54 minutes and in 71 United were outraged again. Danny Swanson took a shot which deflected off Weir - with David Robertson beside him and offside - and spun into the Rangers net.

McCurry judged that the ball had hit Robertson, or else that Robertson had been interfering with play. He was wrong either way. Levein and McCurry went toe-to-toe at the edge of the technical area and the manager's thoughts were clear: what was the point of his team being here if they were destined to get nothing?

Perhaps Rangers would have beaten United even if both those decisions had gone the other way but it would certainly have tested their nerve.

They had not started the match as though they would be clinging on by the end of it. It seemed as though any prospect of mounting tension had been snuffed out by the arrival of a couple of goals for them after barely a quarter of an hour.

The first was rushed into United's net in the sixth minute. Mark Kerr fouled Novo, Thomson took the free-kick and crossed it into the penalty area where Novo snuck in behind Danny Grainger for a header which beat the goalkeeper's dive.

That was a cheap goal for United to concede and an early sign of unusually vulnerable defending by Levein's team in the first half.

When Novo scored again in the 17th minute it was with a finish worthy of deciding any match, although there was an individual error which offered him the chance to do so.

Neil Alexander's punt was headed on by Daniel Cousin and Mihail Kovacevic's hesitancy allowed the ball to reach Novo on the left wing.

It was the Spaniard's day: he allowed it to bounce before lashing a tremendous hooked shot which flew over Lukasz Zaluska and dipped inside his left hand post.

United ought to have been down and out; instead they began to emerge and Alexander had to save well to keep out a Mark de Vries shot at the end of the first half. They were the stronger side for most of the second. But McCurry's decisions incensed them and it threatened to boil over.

Broadfoot clattered Hunt, and Cousin, sent off for a headbutt against Fiorentina, might have had another red for nodding Lee Wilkie.

The decisions enraged United to the point that when de Vries did pull a goal back to make it 2-1 - connecting with a header from Grainger's left-wing cross - he reacted not with joy but with a sarcastic show of mock guilt and acceptance to the officials, as if expecting that decision to go against him as well.

This time United had their goal, although their striker also got a booking for his impertinence.

All of it meant Rangers were made to sweat until the end, but Novo was not quite finished with United. His tenacity kept the ball in at the touchline and he fed a pass for Ferguson, who cut it across the penalty area where Jean-Claude Darcheville connected with the smoothest of finishes.

Smith leapt into Ally McCoist's arms and then pumped his fist towards the supporters. It was as if he had just won the Uefa Cup.

Rangers substitutes: Furman for Thomson 51, Darcheville for Cousin 84 Not used: G Smith, Boyd, Beasley, Lennon, McMillan Booked: Cousin 75
Dundee United substitutes: Swanson for Flood 66, Robb for Gomis 84, O'Brien for Kovacevic 90 Not used: Camara, Dillon, Daly, K Smith Booked: Flood 38, Wilkie 75, de Vries 76
Referee: M. McCurry
Att: 50,293