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Kenny Miller launches a brilliant, dipping volley past Jim Atkinson

A stunning, dipping volley from Kenny Miller saw Rangers restore their eight-point lead at the Championship summit, battling past Queen of the South.

Miller's strike just after the hour mark bamboozled Doonhamers goalkeeper Jim Atkinson, whistling into his top-left corner.

Derek Lyle had an early header blocked by Rangers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham.

And Rangers' Nicky Clark failed to beat Atkinson after he fumbled a shot into his path.

Ever a menace from dead-ball situations, marauding Rangers right-back James Tavernier twice forced Atkinson to tip swerving free-kicks over his crossbar.

But the stopper almost gifted Mark Warburton's side a goal with 20 minutes gone, spilling Andy Halliday's strike into the path of Clark.

The onrushing striker somehow failed to slide the ball beyond Atkinson before a thunderous challenge prevented Jason Holt from firing a third salvo on goal.

At the other end, Lewis Kidd left Foderingham's crossbar reverberating with a booming left-foot drive from 25 yards before the break.

Shortly after the interval, Rangers centre-back Rob Kiernan nodded a dreadful attempted clearance straight to Jake Pickard inside his own box, but Foderingham bailed out his team-mate, getting down low to block Pickard's effort.

A tumultuous second half was imbued with an injection of class when Miller, his body at right-angles to the hosts' goal, launched a vicious, looping volley that left Atkinson stranded.

And Foderingham did well to beat away Ryan Conroy's free-kick from the angle of the penalty box as the game entered its final quarter.

Replacement Gary Oliver jinked his way past Rangers skipper Lee Wallace, but after his cross was blocked, Kidd could only blaze over the bar.

Holt almost sealed the three points for the visitors when he drove to the edge of the box and his shot was parried on to the crossbar by Atkinson.

As it was, Foderingham had to react swiftly to block Chris Higgins' near-post header amid a late Queens barrage, with Andy Dowie nodding onto the roof of the net with virtually the last act of the match.

Queen of the South manager James Fowler: "Our second half performance, the chances we created - the goal we conceded was maybe a bit of a freak - we just couldn't get one of them over the line unfortunately.

"We're not going to play teams of that quality every week, but it's important our attitude and application is the same every week.

"If we can do that, it'll give us a great chance of finishing in the top four."

Rangers manager Mark Warburton: "It was an important three points, but that's probably as poor as we've been all season in the last 20 minutes of the second half.

"We gave the ball away cheaply, sat too deep and gave them too much time and space. Wes Foderingham pulled off two or three outstanding saves.

"It was a special strike from Kenny. He sets a good example. He came off the bench and got the goal, which was really important."