Distorted Rangers scoreline as Michael Beale's team are far from convincing against St Mirren

This was the first of two warm-up games for Rangers ahead of their Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic and they looked far from accomplished before eventually seeing off St Mirren 5-2 at Ibrox.

Two late Alfredo Morelos goals and another from Scott Arfield made it look a more comfortable outing than was really the case as Michael Beale’s side toiled for large spells and were twice pegged back by their plucky visitors who eventually left empty-handed. Rangers, missing Connor Goldson, looked shaky defensively at times and in danger of dropping points until Morelos’ first goal after 80 minutes finally shattered St Mirren’s resistance. The Paisley side’s pursuit of a top-six place will now go to the final weekend before the split.

It could have been a far more straightforward afternoon for Rangers had they converted a fifth-minute penalty. Alex Gogic clipped Nicolas Raskin on the edge of the box and VAR didn’t take too long to confirm Steven McLean’s penalty award. James Tavernier’s run-up, however, wasn’t convincing and Trevor Carson did well to push his subsequent spot kick away. There was still an anxious wait for the visiting players as VAR briefly contemplated awarding a retake before play, belatedly, restarted with a throw-in.

It isn’t the first time the Rangers captain has proved fallible from 12 yards but he atoned for his error as the home side, belatedly, claimed the lead after 27 minutes. St Mirren’s gameplan had been evident from the first whistle – block, frustrate and counter – but they were picked apart by a terrific passing move that concluded with Tavernier fizzing in a cross that Todd Cantwell ushered in via the underside of the crossbar.

Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos, right, scored twice in the 5-2 win over St Mirren at Ibrox.

The visitors had threatened only sporadically on the counter attack – Greg Kiltie was wasteful on a couple of occasions – as play wound into added time at the end of the first half but, with one final attempt, they eventually found some joy. It was a spectacular equaliser, Greg Kiltie’s deflected cross looping into the air where Mark O’Hara controlled it on his chest before unleashing an exquisite volley that flew past Allan McGregor via a nudge off the post. It was St Mirren’s first goal at Ibrox for 10 matches.

That gave them an unlikely foothold in the game come half-time only for Stephen Robinson’s side to fall behind once more just three minutes after the restart. A free kick was curled in Borna Barisic and Fashion Sakala was left unmarked to steer his head beyond Carson. It would have no doubt irritated Beale somewhat then that St Mirren’s second equaliser stemmed from a set-play. Ryan Strain’s corner came back to him and, from the Australian’s second ball in, John Souttar climbed over Joe Shaughnessy only to head as far as O’Hara. The midfielder took one touch to control and a second to thread a low shot into the corner of the net for his 12th goal of the season.

A shock looked a possibility but Rangers went through the gears in the final minutes to make sure of the win. Morelos poked home a shot from close range for his first then steered in another after Rabbi Matondo had beaten St Mirren’s offside trap. Arfield then threaded a shot through Carson’s legs for a fifth to give a distorted view of a game that was far from one-sided.