Ryan Naderi's 18th-minute penalty and Dan Neil's deflected strike just after the hour gave Rangers a 2-0 win at St Mirren. The Rangers St Mirren result leaves Derek McInnes's side one point behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, having played the same number of fixtures.
Draws at Dundee and Hearts in Rangers' previous two away Premiership matches had checked a title challenge built on control. At The Marbill Coaches Stadium they led early and, in McInnes's reading, took the game away from St Mirren once the second goal went in.
Rangers St Mirren result and the title picture
Rangers have now gone 12 games unbeaten in all competitions. Celtic can restore their four-point lead when they host Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Sunday, the last Premiership fixture before the international break interrupts the league again.
Both clubs have played the same number of matches, so Celtic's Sunday game decides how the table reads during the break.
James Penrice and the penalty
Referee Nick Walsh awarded the spot kick on 18 minutes after James Penrice was fouled. Sky Sports co-commentator James McFadden called the decision "softer than soft", and the argument ran through the rest of the broadcast.
Chris Sutton said Penrice had played the referee "like a piccolo". "I think we all agree that it was the wrong decision. There has to be sufficient contact. James Penrice has played Nick Walsh like a piccolo," he said.
Penrice told Sky Sports: "I've not seen it back. I'm being told it is a penalty, it isn't a penalty. I don't know. I feel the contact and he dangled a leg. He kicked us, I couldn't get the ball."
Sutton was unconvinced by that account. "He sounded pretty guilty. I'm not sure he was convinced it was a penalty. It was an admission from him that it wasn't really [a penalty]," he said.
Kris Boyd reduced the debate to its simplest form: "It doesn't matter if it's a soft boiled egg or a hard boiled egg, it's still a boiled egg."
Dan Neil makes the game safe
Neil's deflected strike just after the hour mark made it 2-0 and extended Rangers' unbeaten run. McInnes felt his side could have added to the scoreline, saying afterwards that they could have been "a bit more clinical".
Derek McInnes on a controlled away win
"I thought we deserved to win. When we were good, we were very good. We mixed the game up. St Mirren are a good team, they test your organisation. We took the game away from them by controlling things. When you get the second goal away from home it takes the game away from them. We could have added to the 2-0 scoreline and been a bit more clinical. We're glad to get out with the three points."
What to watch
Celtic host Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Sunday before the international break. A Celtic win restores a four-point cushion at the top; anything less keeps Rangers within a point of the leaders.
This report draws on the original coverage from skysports.com.
A roll of white tape, half used, was left on the bench when the last Rangers player walked down the tunnel.
