A massive travelling support, perhaps 10,000 strong, greeted Rangers following their successful Austrian workout with five new players in the starting line-up. Including Polish trialist Marcin Zajac.
The kick-off was delayed ten minutes due to Rangers late arrival at the ground and when the game eventually kicked off in the intense heat Rangers found themselves facing former colleague Jerome Bonnissel.
There was a hectic start with both sides clearly treating the fixture as anything but a friendly and Rangers might have opened the scoring in 11 minutes when a Nacho Nova released Peter Lovenkrands only for home goalkeeper Mark Crossley to block the Dane’s effort.
The game erupted in 25 minutes when Luis Boa Morte committed a shocking tackle from behind on Alex Rae who reacted angrily to the foul, and Boa Morte received a touch of his own medicine six minutes later when FErnando Ricksen felled him with a crunching but perfectly fair tackle.
There was a still game of football taking place and Boa Morte almost made his mark in a positive way in 34 minutes when he took advantage of indecision between Klos and Ricksen only to shoot over from a Silvan Legwinski pass.
TWo minutes later Legwinski himself cam close when his 25 yard drive was just wide - but it was Rangers who were creating the better number of chances and Lovenkrands came close when his angled drive from a Novo slip was touched onto the bar by Crossley in 39 minutes.
The same combination almsot paid dividends 60 seconds later when Lovenkrands’ run a nd cross down the left found Novo only for the SPaniard’s drive to be blocked by the goalkeeper's legs.
Crossley again kept the scoresheet blank in 44 minutes, holding a Lovenkrands header from a Prso cross. The half ended in controversy when Fulham’s penalty appeal was turned aside by referee Dermot Gallagher when Khizhanisvilli clashed with that man Boa Morte.
Polish trialist Zajac was replaced by Chris Burke 7 minutes into the second half and within seconds the youngster almost created the opening goal when his pass found Novo whose shot was just wide of the target.
New signing Novo was a standout for the vast travelling support with his pace and skill - and he almost engineered the break through on the hour when a clever cross found Lovenkrands who volleyed over the bar.
Three minutes there was another eruption when Collins John ran into Stefan Klos chasing a through ball. His challenge angered Paolo Vanolli who squared up to the Fulham forward, then others piled in to form a melee. Thankfully the referee was in a generous mood and contended himself with a lecture to both players.
Rangers finally made the breakthrough in spectacular fashion in 68 minutes when a Novo cross was headed back across goal by Burke for Prso whose overhead kick flashed into the net.
Rangers were well on to as the game entered the closing stages although Stefan Klos had to be alert in 80 minutes, touching away a Zat Knight header from a Sean Doherty corner.
The win should have been sealed in the closing minutes as firstly Crossley blocked a close range header from Khisanishvilli then substitute Steven Thompson twice created openings that should have been converted - Shota Arveladze curling the first effort just over, then Stephen Hughes seeing his drive turned wide by Crossley.
The final whistle nevertheless gave the huge Gers support ever excuse to celebrate a fine win.
TEAM: Klos(c); Ricksen, Boumsong, Khizanishvili, Vanoli; Zajac(Burke), Malcolm, Rae(Hughes), Lovenkrands(Arveladze); Novo, Prso(Thompson)
Subs not used: G.Smith, Ross, Hutton, Andrews