Manager Walter Smith made two changes from Tel Aviv with Libor Sionko and Charlie Adam replacing Gavin Rae and Chris Burke against a Falkirk side fielding future Ranger Alan Gow alongside former Ranger Russell Latapy.
The new pitch looked in good condition - which is certainly more than could be said for the action on it, for the only incident of note in the opening half-hour occurred in eleven minutes when Nacho Novo's pass eluded Kris Boyd but found Ferguson whose effort was blocked by Bairns goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, son of Peter.
The opening goal when it arrived to the immense relief of the 49,850 crowd came in 33 minutes when Boyd netted following a long-range Alan Hutton cross.
The half ended in uproar when Carl Finnigan was yellow-carded for a reckless challenge on Hutton - but the former Newcastle striker could consider himself fortunate that the card was not of a different colour.
Sasa Papac replaced Svensson at the interval, the Swede suffering from a groin injury.
Falkirk, who had scarcely crossed the halfway line in the opening forty-five minutes, finally had an effort on target in fifty minutes when Finnigan's shot from a Gow pass was parried by Allan McGregor.
Perhaps reinvigorated by that scare, Rangers went all out for a clinching second goal - Ferguson being denied three minutes later when his angled drive was beaten out by Schmeichel, the rebound falling to Novo whose shot was blocked on the line.
Novo again came close in 62 minutes when, from a tight angle, he shot into the side-netting following a Ferguson chip.
It was all Rangers, yet unbelievably the scores were levelled sixty seconds later when Finniga, suspiciously offside, slotted home a Gow pass. There was however no signal from linesman Tommy Johnsto, and the goal stood.
Chris Burke replaced Sionko in 65 minutes, and four minutes later Novo cut in from the left from a Charlie Adam pass only to see his effort held by Schmeichel.
Referee Stuart Dougal again bottled out of producing a red card in 71 minutes when Patrick Cregg, already on a yellow card, blatantly barged into Burke from behind. The official at first went for a yellow card before realising that Cregg was already on one, and simply awarded the foul.
Justice was done however when the resultant Adam free-kick found Papac whose shot was blocked, the rebound falling to Ferguson who blasted the ball into the net.
Dado Prso made a welcome return two minutes later to a massive ovation when he replaced Adam.
Stuart Dougal finally produced a red card in 81 minutes when he ordered off Thomas Scobbie for a shocking foul on Burke. It was a straight red, and fully merited.
Rangers suffered yet another injury blow seven minutes later when Ferguson limped off with a groin problem, and must be doubtful for Thursday.
Afterwards Walter Smith was cautious:
"This was a difficult game for us after such a long journey in midweek. We have a small squad - hopefully both Ferguson and Svensson will be OK for Thursday. Dado Prso can play a big role for us for the remainder of the season. We need to create more goalscoring opportunities."
RANGERS: McGregor; Hutton, Svensson (Papac 45), Weir, Murray; Sionko (Burke 65), Ferguson, Hemdani, Adam (Prso 74); Novo, Boyd
UNUSED SUBS Robinson, Rae, McMillan, Furman
FALKIRK: Schmeichel; Holden, Uras, Barr, Scobbie; Moutinho, Cregg, Latapy (Thomson 86), O'Donnell (Craig 78); Gow, Finnigan
UNUSED SUBS Lambers, Ross, Lima, McStay, Twaddle
REFEREE: Stuart Dougal