RANGERS PLAYED through a strangely subdued atmosphere of underlying discontent to beat William Hill Premiership bottom side St Johnstone 3-1 at Ibrox.

New Light Blues chief executive Patrick Stewart had given boss Philippe Clement the board’s backing on Saturday after pressure on the Belgian intensified following the 1-1 draw against Dundee on Thursday night, which further shredded their title hopes.

The Rangers Supporters Association called for Clement’s sacking while the Union Bears, Rangers’ ultras-style fan group, initiated a walkout in the 55th minute which, paradoxically, was loudly booed by many of remaining Gers support, who watched three goals in nine minutes in the first half from Hamza Igamane, Vaclav Cerny and Mohamed Diomande.

Saints defender Jack Sanders reduced the deficit in the 54th minute as the home side’s performance dropped off amid long spells of silence from the stands.

The Govan side moved to 15 points behind leaders Celtic but the title will almost certainly remain at Parkhead.

Clement’s troubles have not been helped by injuries to several key players and again there was a makeshift look to his side.

Midfielder and stand-in captain Nicolas Raskin returned from suspension and Brazilian striker Danilo was also reinstated, while 20-year-old defender Clinton Nsiala started his first game at Ibrox.

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari was looking for a first win in nine games and he made five changes.

Andy Fisher, the 26-year-old goalkeeper signed on loan from Swansea City, made his debut with defender Aaron Essel, midfielders Fran Franczak and Max Kucheriavyi, and attacker Mackenzie Kirk, returning.

The hum of conversations came from the Gers faithful amid silence from the usually boisterous Union Bears, who displayed anti-board banners and sang ‘sack the board’, albeit the rest of the stadium did not join in, to any great extent.

Moments later,  in the 16th minute, Diomande took a pass from Cerny and cut the ball back for Igamane to slam the ball into the Saints net from 12 yards for his 12th goal of the season.

The stadium quickly fell back to almost total silence but came to life again when Cerny raced on to a Danilo through ball and poked the ball past Fisher for his 12th since signing on loan from Wolfsburg.

When Sanders inexplicably headed a Cerny cross into the air, it fell perfectly for Diomande to head past Fisher and at last some songs came tumbling down from the stands, if only momentarily.

Cerny should have scored early in the second half but a weak shot was easily held by Fisher before the out-of-sorts visitors pulled a goal back.

Sanders headed in a Kucheriavyi corner just before the Union Bears departed – the time was symbolic of the club’s 55th and last title win in 2021 – to  boos from fellow supporters.

Fisher made a fine save from Gers defender Oscar Cortes’ powerful drive but the Perth men carried as much threat in their sporadic attacks, former Ireland U21 international Graham Carey testing Gers keeper Liam Kelly with a drive to his near post.

The final whistle brought some applause. but these are uncertain times at Ibrox.

Elsewhere, Irish international Jamie McGrath made a substitute appearance as Aberdeen halted a run of five consecutive defeats. Goalkeeper Ross Doohan made a stoppage-time penalty save from Jorge Grant to ensure a 0-0 draw at home to Hearts.

The Dons’ winless run was extended to 11 matches since November, but they will have been relieved to have escaped with a point after the Jambos’ two January signings Elton Kabangu and Jamie McCart both threatened with second-half headers before the last-gasp spot-kick drama when Sivert Heltne Nilsen was penalised for a foul on Hearts sub Kenneth Vargas.

Hearts are now unbeaten in four but remain second-bottom of the William Hill Premiership, albeit within a point of both Ross County and Kilmarnock, and five of the top six.