WHEN Walter Smith's Rangers made it all the way to the UEFA Cup final in 2008 they did not pick up too many points for aesthetic merit along the way.

Smith, that most pragmatic of Scottish managers, had created a side that was compact, robust, competitive and energetic. It was maybe not the prettiest to watch at times with a defence made up effectively of four central defenders, a five-man midfield and a lone runner in attack, but few could argue it wasn't effective. Panathinaikos, Werder Bremen, Sporting Lisbon and Fiorentina - all reputable names in the European arena - were all bludgeoned to one side, before Rangers finally came unstuck in the final against a Zenit St Petersburg side managed by a familiar face in the shape of Dick Advocaat. It was a style of play that irritated many including, famously, Lionel Messi but Smith was unapologetic. "I just felt it was the way Rangers had to go," he said at the time.

Seven years on and one of his former players from his first spell at Ibrox is enjoying similar success with not too dissimilar tactics. When Stuart McCall was catapulted into temporary charge of Rangers in March he had one primary objective: to lead the team to promotion. How that was achieved was less important. There was never any realistic chance of pegging back a Hearts side that was coasting to the title and so McCall knew he and his players would need to take their chances in the play-offs. Having now made it through two rounds to reach the final against Motherwell, it is probably fair to say they are making solid progress towards that goal.

It was instructive to hear McCall say after a 3-0 loss away to Queen of the South early last month that if the teams were to meet again in the play-offs he would do things slightly differently. By that he meant moving away from the more cavalier approach that had allowed the Dumfries side to pick Rangers off repeatedly on the counter attack. Yes, there would be an onus on his side to take the game to their opponents, especially at Ibrox, but McCall acknowledged early on there would be no pats on the back for him and his players if they delivered a brand of expansive, entertaining football but didn't win promotion. Perhaps more than at any time over the past three years, results mattered much more than performances.

And so McCall has adjusted and adapted to each challenge as it has arisen. Having done enough to squeeze past Queens over two legs, he has proved similarly innovative against Hibernian. Rangers did not play particularly well in the first match at Ibrox but were clinical with two of their chances, while Hibs were wasteful with theirs. That two-goal advantage was more than McCall could probably have hoped for against one of the most-attack minded teams in the division and gave him the luxury of playing effectively how he liked in Saturday's return at Easter Road. "I've checked the rules and I don't think we can play two goalies," he said in the immediate aftermath of the first leg, perhaps only half in jest.

Alan Stubbs, the Hibs manager, had tried to provoke him in the build-up to the second match by asking whether McCall would be happy just to sit on the lead or come and make a game of it. It was as subtle as a child poking a cat repeatedly with a stick. The Rangers manager did not bite. Realising the bigger shame would be arise from throwing away a two-goal lead, not in playing defensive football, McCall added Lee McCulloch to his backline, went three at the back, and barely ventured over the halfway line. That cautious approach could have backfired had Hibs taken one of the many early chances they created but Rangers stood firm, conceding only in injury time when Jason Cummings finally found a way to beat Cammy Bell. Hibs had next to no time to score again to take the tie to extra-time. Rangers, whether pre-planned or simply reacting to the situation they found themselves in, had found a way to survive what could have been a very difficult mission. The Hibs players departed the field with their supporters' applause in their ears, thanking them for their efforts this season. It is Rangers, though, who are heading for the final.

And what of this two-legged match-up with Motherwell? There is every chance McCall will try to implement the exact same strategy. There is an extra edge to the contest given this was the team he was in charge of just six months ago but McCall, irrespective of what he might say about respecting Motherwell, will see no shame in deploying the same tactics to defeat them. At Ibrox on Thursday he will set his side out to try to eke out a narrow win, perhaps resorting to four at the back and throwing a second striker in alongside Kenny Miller to make them slightly more expansive. And if he can achieve that, then few would bet against him heading back to Fir Park on Sunday and trying to cling on to that advantage for dear life. McCall does not know yet whether he will remain as Rangers manager beyond the weekend. Winning promotion would hugely enhance his chances. Playing exciting football but falling short? Not so much. It is not a difficult choice.