The late summer sun beat down on the field, and the watching 89 spectators, to provide perfect conditions for the two teams.
The Young Bairns had the experience of Scotland Internationalists Brian Allison and Scott Arfield in their ranks whilst Rangers had their team mates from Wednesday afternoons 1-2 defeat from Iceland, Andy Shinnie and goalscorer Stevie Lennon in opposition.
It took twelve minutes before either side had a shot worthy of the description when Lee Nichol attempted to put the visitors in front, only for Joe Sagar to save with ease.
A minute later it was Rangers on the attack and skipper Paul Emslie took the chance for the home side only to see his attempt well saved by Jamie Barclay.
It didn't take much longer for the opening breakthrough when Rory Loy found Stevie Lennon with a perfect pass to the striker on the 18 yard line, Lennon had time and space to compose himself before unleashing an unstoppable drive past Barclay and put the Light Blues one up on twenty minutes.
The Bairns almost equalised five minutes later when Mark Stewart reached the bye line and his cut back pass found the onrushing Dayne Robertson whose outstretched leg connected with the ball but failed to direct it into the gaping goalmouth.
This scare prompted the ‘Gers back into action and Jordan McMillan came forward to try his luck from 25 yards but his shot went narrowly wide.
With the threat from the visitors never far away the young Light Blues tried to give themselves a cushion, on the half hour mark Stevie Lennon tried to do just that but saw his 18 yard shot put over the bar from the fingertips of Barclay.
With the match swinging from end to end and some skilful displays on show from both sides it was the turn of the Dark Blues, playing in their change strip of red, to go for goal when Kevin Moffat was played clean through on Sagar but as the forward hesitated brilliant defending from Steven Kinniburgh cleared the immediate danger for a corner. The panic wasn't over, however, as from the resultant corner kick Kieran Stallard saw his header strike the bar from 10 yards.
With the crowd engrossed in a fascinating encounter Willie McLachlan embarked on a run to push the home side forward and his pass to Andy Shinnie on the edge of the box saw the internationalists shot turned round the post by Barclay.
Just before half time it looked like the second goal had arrived but Rory Loy was adjudged offside by the terrace side linesman as he put the ball into the net.
Half Time - Rangers 1 Falkirk 0
Following the break the Eddie Mays side came flying out the traps after that much sought after goal and it was Mark Stewart who firstly broke through the centre of the home defence on 51 minutes only to see his shot go wide. 4 minutes later it was Stewart again, on this occasion timing his run to perfection to beat Rangers offside claims only for Joe Sagar to come to the ‘Gers rescue as the two met one on one.
The most controversial moment of the match came on 61 minutes when Barclay was ruled to have carried the ball over the 18 yard line by the technical side linesman. Referee Tommy Johnston awarded a free kick which was quickly taken, only for the ball to strike the hastily arranged defensive wall and go out of play, however to the referee than awarded a goal kick to Falkirk amidst the howls of derision from the home side and supporters.
As the match entered the closing 20 minutes Scott Arfield tried his luck from some 35 yards only for his ambitious shot to sail inches over the bar. Rory Loy then had his shot from the edge of the box palmed over for a corner. It was from that corner Billy Kirkwoods lads almost settled the match when Loys header struck the bar and was then cleared to safety.
Stephen Stirling was only on the park a matter of minutes, as replacement for Sam Woods, when he played in Stevie Lennon, only for the striker to miss hit his shot in front of goal.
With the match now nearing its conclusion Lennon had another effort which just curled wide before Scott Arfield had Falkirk's last chance, as the Rangers defence held its line the Bairns striker tried his luck with a 20 yard shot which went just wide. The final play of the match came in injury time as Rangers kept the ball in the Falkirk half and were awarded a corner, only for Chris Smith to see his headed attempt cleared of the line.
As one Rangers fan very aptly put it on the way out “That's the best opposition team to come here in a long time”, everyone agreed and the Rangers players can feel enormous satisfaction after gaining three vital points in a match they had to fight every inch of the way for.
The Teams;-
RANGERS – Sagar, McLachlan (Little 45), Kinniburgh, McMillan, Perry, Smith, Loy (Ure 89), Emslie, Lennon, Shinnie, Woods (Stirling 73)
Subs not used- Weir, Van den Broeck, Craig
FALKIRK – Barclay, Mitchell (Galbraith 45), McMahon, Gibb, Allison, Stallard, Robertson, Nichol, Stewart, Arfield, Moffat.
Subs not used – Andrews, Sludden, Clements, Murdoch