THE flags and banners were all around the blue sea of Ibrox. On an unusual afternoon, Rangers’ victory was pleasingly routine for Steven Gerrard.

His players had been given a taste of running out to an empty stadium during their pre-season games with Motherwell and Coventry but this was the real stuff, a day where three points were a must for Rangers. This was an improvement on the victory over Aberdeen last weekend and attentions can now turn to the visit of St Johnstone in midweek as Rangers look to continue building some momentum early in the campaign.

This wasn’t particularly effervescent from Rangers, but a solid performance was rightly rewarded. If a title challenge is to materialise this term, routine wins must become the norm.

The last time Gerrard’s side played competitively at Ibrox, it was Bayer Leverkusen that were the visitors as the decibel levels reached a crescendo and the crowd endured and enjoyed a European encounter under the floodlights. The homecoming here was somewhat different, but it is the life that those at Ibrox and further afield must become accustomed to.

St Mirren hadn’t been expected to put up much of a fight here and that was certainly the case. But for the performance of Jak Alnwick, the former Rangers keeper, Jim Goodwin’s side would have lost by more than three.

A Conor McCarthy own goal was all that Rangers had to show for a dominant first half. That was converted into a comfortable victory as Alfredo Morelos netted twice in quick succession.

The dynamic of having no supporters in the stadium is an interesting one for Rangers, perhaps even more so than many other clubs. The fans here can play their part as the twelfth man, but there are stages in games where the moans and groans visibly effect those on the park and they are unable to deal with the friendly fire from the stands.

On days like this, against opposition such as the Buddies, the lack of crowd could certainly prove advantageous for Rangers. As chances came and went, there was no sense that Gerrard’s side were becoming flustered or panicked.

Rangers were patient with their play but purposeful when they had to be as plenty of chances were created. More really ought to have been converted but this was more than good enough at Ibrox.

St Mirren defended valiantly at times but were undone by one of their own midway through the first half. With Connor Goldson lurking behind him, McCarthy bundled the ball into his own net as he failed to deal with a driven cross from Morels.

Jon McLaughlin, starting in place of the injured Allan McGregor, was a spectator in the first half. A brief moment of unease early after the interval wasn’t capitalised on and he would gather an Ilkay Durmus free-kick at the second attempt.

The empty stands allowed for those in attendance to hear every word of encouragement and cajoling from Goodwin on the touchlines but there was only so much the Irishman could do to protect his side against repeated waves of attack.

The pick of Alnwick’s personal highlights reel was a stunning stop to deny James Tavernier after he teed himself up and rifled a shot from 25 yards. There were smart blocks to deny Morelos and Joe Aribo, while the Englishman watched on as Ryan Kent’s effort whistled by.

It was no surprise that this was a long afternoon for St Mirren. Victory for Rangers was inevitable for some time, but it was a matter of when the decisive second goal would arrive to settle this affair in the Govan sunshine.

Just as it looked like Rangers could be facing an anxious last 20 minutes, the game was put to bed. A header from Morelos would clinch the points, while a close range finish just before his departure from the park ensured he had two goals to take from a showing that was much more like it following a lacklustre effort against Leverkusen.

The same could be said of Rangers as a whole. There is still room for improvement as Cedric Itten – who made a late debut off the bench – and Kemar Roofe get up to speed and Gerrard couldn’t really have asked for much more from the first week of the campaign.

We are now playing in the new normal. Wins like this must be part of that normality if Rangers are to achieve anything this term.