It's Miller time for six-speed Rangers
Kenny Miller's first Rangers hat-trick in five years helped Mark Warburton's team to their biggest win of the season as Dumbarton were hammered 6-0.
The veteran striker had not claimed a match ball while wearing light blue since a 3-2 win over Kilmarnock in November 2010.
But he rolled back the years at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium as he extended his tally for the campaign to 10.
Martyn Waghorn, Andy Halliday and James Tavernier rounded off a convincing win.
Gers arrived at Dumbarton Rock packing a confident swagger after re-establishing themselves as the promotion frontrunners with last week's 4-2 win over title rivals Hibernian.
Waburton went with the same side which took care of Alan Stubbs' side, although there was no place for Harry Forrester with the new signing from Doncaster left out while he awaits international clearance.
But after the high of triumphing in front of last week's sell-out Ibrox crowd, Rangers struggled at first to adapt to the more sedate surroundings at the Sons' tiny one-stand home.
Dumbarton should have made the most of their guests' indifferent start when Gers keeper Wes Foderingham flapped at Scott Taggart's free-kick from deep but Donald McCallum made a mess of his header.
Waghorn then failed to tuck away a free header as the Rangers contingent in the crowd grew restless.
But their fears were eased three minutes before half-time. Halliday - cleared to play after appealing the red card he received against Hibs - clipped the ball over the top of the Dumbarton defence for Miller just as he sped past his sleeping marker Taggart.
The former Scotland hitman stumbled as he went past keeper Mark Brown but was still able to scramble the ball home.
But the league leaders were given another let-off four minutes into the second half when Foderingham was again caught out coming for a Mark Docherty cross, with Jon Routledge failing to make the most of his header.
However, Gers eventually clicked into gear and only the woodwork denied them a second when Tavernier slammed a header onto the crossbar from Waghorn's cross, with Miller somehow failing to put away the rebound.
But the 36-year-old made no mistake on the hour mark as he planted a fine header from Tavernier's cross past Brown.
And it was the same combo at work four minutes later as Miller wrapped up his treble. He collected a pass from the right-back 12 yards out before turning to slot it into the bottom corner.
Waghorn was cautioned soon for diving but the Englishman shrugged off that disappointment to fire home the fourth after 71 minutes after yet another Tavernier assist, this time from the by-line.
Halliday's 82nd-minute free-kick left Brown no chance when it took a wild deflection off the defensive wall before landing in the net.
There was nothing fortuitous about Tavernier's strike three minutes from the end as his 25-yarder flew into the top corner.
Source: PA
