Rangers last night frittered away two precious points in their quest to remain in the championship race, an outcome that will have warmed Martin O'Neill's heart.
It seemed a miracle that Alex Smith's suffering Dundee United took anything from this match. Smith is one of Scottish football's wise men from the east, but the task he faces at Tannadice restoring once-proud United is a job which might require witch doctors on Tayside.
In recent years, everything has been tried, including cheap South American labour imported by the boat-load, but United continued slipping deeper into oblivion.
While Rangers shell out their gratuitous millions, Smith has made do with bargains here or there, the latest being Derek Lilley, who arrived last week from Oxford United for £80,000 sterling. Lilley did score on his debut, but this is hardly the stuff of salvation.
The game, though, did allow one of Scottish football's prized blunderers to excel again. The days and nights are never dull whenever Lorenzo Amoruso is about.
Lilley's goal after 33 minutes came amid much dithering and posturing by Amoruso. To the obvious annoyance of the Dutch defender Bert Konterman, Amoruso allowed himself to be robbed on the edge of his own penalty-box by Beto Naveda, who in turn fed Lilley.
Rangers' opener after 18 minutes saw Barry Ferguson link with Neil McCann down the left, whose pass inside to Michael Mols finally arrived in the path of Claudio Reyna.
The American international slammed his drive home. United's woes weren't helped by the departure of the skilled Naveda on a stretcher after 44 minutes - another player lost to the eternal struggle.
The city of Dundee has now contributed two fierce twists to this saga within a week - Didier Agathe's last-gasp winner gave Celtic three points last Sunday at Dens Park, and United last night hounded Rangers from their stride.
Celtic had no such problems getting into their stride on Saturday when they crushed Aberdeen 6-0 at home. It was a dream debut for Ramon Vega who scored twice. Henrik Larsson grabbed a hat-trick and substitute Jamie Smith had the final word with a late goal.
Dundee Utd: Combe, De Vos, McCracken (Venetis 86), Lauchlan, Partridge, Buchan, Miller, Aljofree, Heaney, Naveda (Hamilton 45), Lilley (McConalogue 80). Subs Not Used: Gallacher, McCunnie. Goals: Lilley 32.
Rangers: Klos, Ricksen, Amoruso, Konterman, Vidmar (Albertz 84), Reyna, Ferguson, de Boer (Johnston 77), McCann, Dodds (Miller 71), Mols. Subs Not Used: Christensen, Ross. Goals: Reyna 18.
Referee: J Rowbotham (Scotland).
