IF Rangers do complete a fabled "Perfect Season" they will look back on this victory as one of the key moments in what would be a memorable achievement.

Yet if Ally McCoist's players defend like they did at Glebe Park again this term, they have no chance, none whatsoever, of winning all of their league games. McCoist was at pains to praise Brechin's performance at the weekend as he attempted to make some sort of sense of the events which had unfolded. And rightly so.

Ray McKinnon's charges had performed with purpose and no little panache from the kick-off. They deserved to lead 3-1 at half-time. In fact, had they been even more ruthless in front of goal the lead could well have been greater and a famous victory would have been recorded.

They had chances. Graham Hay, Jonny Brown and Alan Trouten did not, though, have to work especially hard for their goals. Indeed, a couple of them were gifts. It was bizarre to see the Ibrox club concede three goals in less than 45 minutes in an SPFL League One match. In the 720 minutes they had played in the division previously they had let in just two.

Whether the heavy rain the game was played in or the two-week break from football that had preceded it was responsible for the poor standard of the visitors' play at the back is open to debate. But the difficulty both sets of players had in coping with the underfoot conditions was highlighted by a comedy moment that caused much hilarity in the stands just before half-time.

Stevie Smith, the Rangers left back, fresh-aired an attempted cross and went careering towards an advertising hoarding when the ball held up in a puddle near a corner flag.

"It was funny," admitted Smith afterwards. "I didn't want to laugh about it at half-time given the scoreline. But after the game the lads certainly reminded me of what happened." The chaotic scenes left the Rangers manager, whose side extended their lead over Stenhousemuir at the top of the table to 10 points, scratching his head in disbelief. "Our defending for the third goal?" said McCoist. "Dearie me. I couldn't believe it. The defending at the first goal was not much better. We defended very poorly.

"We had watched Brechin score a great set play against Stenhousemuir. The last thing I said to the boys before they left the dressing room was: 'We need to guard set plays. We need to be aggressive at set plays'. So we go out and almost immediately we lose a goal in a set play. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut in future."

McCoist, however, had plenty to say to his players at half-time. Crucially, he also made a substitution that would ensure another three points were ultimately accumulated.

He brought on Nicky Clark for Robbie Crawford and the young striker's glancing header in the closing stages of the match capped a memorable comeback in what was an enthralling game. Jon Daly, Bilel Mohsni and Nicky Law - whose fortuitous strike was, in truth, a cross that drifted into goal - had all netted prior to the dramatic finale.

"I wanted to get another out-and-out goalscorer on the park," explained McCoist. "I wanted to get more goals on the park. And we obviously got that with Nicky's finish.

"As disappointed as we were by our lads in the first half the complete opposite would have to be said of the second half. The boys showed an incredible spirit to come back."

Smith, who stood in for the injured Lee Wallace, felt the outing underlined that Rangers will not, as many are predicting, find the third tier completely straightforward. "It was a reminder to people that we're not going to stroll through the league," he said. "It is going to be tough and sometimes we'll have to roll our sleeves up and dig in."

If the Rangers defence had a collective off day then referee Craig Charleston had an absolute howler. He showed 12 yellow cards and ordered Trouten off in a poor personal display.

Then again, as McCoist will testify, he was not the only man on the park who failed to perform to the very best of his abilities.