Last updated on .From the section Scottish Premiership

Rangers narrowed the gap on Premiership leaders Celtic to six points with a victory over Hearts at Ibrox.

Jamie Murphy opened the scoring in the first half, with a jinking run into the area and composed finish.

The home side created a series of chances throughout the game, but Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin was equal to them all.

He was eventually beaten again, though, when Russell Martin converted from close range.

Celtic play Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Sunday and, while Brendan Rodgers' side still have a healthy lead, Rangers will hope to capitalise on any slip-ups during the run-in.

Hearts midfielder Joaquim Adao confronted referee John Beaton before being booked

It was a measure of the dynamic of play at Ibrox that Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin was the busiest player of the afternoon.

In the seventh minute, and with the home side spraying the ball around with confidence, McLaughlin stretched to tip a long-distance drive from midfielder Sean Goss over the bar.

Moments later, the Hearts goalkeeper produced a fine double save, first parrying midfielder Greg Docherty's left-footed drive from 20 yards then blocking an attempt by striker Alfredo Morelos, who had followed in.

Hearts goalkeeper Jon McLaughlin made a series of saves to keep Rangers at bay

Hearts responded positively as the play raced from end to end. In the 18th minute, Rangers goalkeeper Wes Foderingham flew to his left to push Kyle Lafferty's curled shot wide and the former Rangers striker had two attempts from the subsequent corner before the home side cleared.

Foderingham then made a fine save from a Ross Callachan drive and at the other end Morelos headed a Declan John cross over the bar before Murphy, on loan from Brighton, fired a shot wide of the far post.

Four minutes before the break, however, it was Murphy who broke the deadlock in style. When right-back James Tavernier passed to Docherty outside the box, he quickly played in the former Motherwell player who rounded Aaron Hughes, John Souttar and keeper McLaughlin before slipping the ball into the net.

Rangers defender Russell Martin secured the win with his first goal for the club

Rangers then made a storming start to the second half. Attacker Josh Windass scooped a Morelos pass over the bar from 12 yards, with McLaughlin making another save from Docherty minutes later before denying Windass following a swift Rangers break.

In the 65th minute, as Rangers dominated, McLaughlin made yet another save, this time from a Morelos drive.

The home side's wastefulness in front of goal continued as defender David Bates headed a Tavernier cross over the bar from 10 yards before McLaughlin tipped a Windass free-kick past the post.

Rangers kept pressing and in the 88th minute, when wide-man Daniel Candeias flashed the ball across the Hearts goal, Martin was there to knock in from a couple of yards to score his first goal for the club.

Scotland manager Alex McLeish was in attendance at Ibrox