THE winner came late. For most of the afternoon, it looked like it would never arrive at all for Rangers.

This was victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. A performance that merited a point at best was ultimately rewarded with all three.

Behind to Matty Kennedy’s effort on the stroke of half-time, Steven Gerrard’s side somehow came from behind to move back up to second spot in the Premiership as Alfredo Morelos struck twice.

That was the only positive for the Gers boss to take at McDiarmid Park. It was the only one that really mattered, however.

Come the end of the campaign, the points won here could prove crucial and the manner in which they were earned will count for little.

Gerrard had lamented the lack of cutting edge from his side in recent days as chances were created but not converted against Hamilton and Hibernian. The problem has been longer standing than that, though.

Just one goal – the strike from Daniel Candeias that beat Accies at Ibrox - had been scored from open play in the last seven outings and there was a lack of creativity in the Gers ranks once again here.

With Andy Halliday and Ross McCrorie coming into the midfield alongside Lassana Coulibaly, it was no surprise that Rangers had little spark in the central areas. But Gerrard didn’t get enough from Candeias or Eros Grezda on the flanks as Morelos was left isolated up front for long spells.

Halliday should have opened the scoring inside four minutes but he couldn’t gather and finish after James Tavernier picked him out with a cross from the right. That was as close as Rangers would come for some time.

It was lacklustre and lackadaisical stuff from Gerrard’s side. There was no drive and no quality as the visitors struggled in the Perthshire sunshine.

Frustrations began to creep in early on and it was only St Johnstone’s profligacy in front of goal that ensured the game remained goalless for as long as it did. Unfortunately for Rangers, they couldn’t make it to the break.

The two clearest openings came in a four minute spell. Connor Goldson and Joe Worrall have never looked like a convincing partnership at the heart of the Gers defence and they failed to deal with Matty Kennedy as he collected the ball and dinked it into the path of Murray Davidson.

With Allan McGregor slightly off his line, the midfielder tried to chip the keeper. His effort was over McGregor’s head, and over the bar.

That was a warning for Rangers but they didn’t take it on board. Somehow, Liam Craig didn’t nod the ball home after Davidson had headed a David Wotherspoon corner back across goal.

Boss Tommy Wright would have been satisfied with the Saints’ showing at this stage and his side snatched the lead on the brink of half-time.

Rangers had come close as McCrorie fired over when the ball broke to him at the edge of the area, while Morelos saw his effort divert off Grezda and wide of target.

Soon, St Johnstone showed Rangers how it should be done. Goldson failed to clear a Scott Tanser cross from the left and Kennedy picked the ball up at the back post.

He showed awareness to dodge a lunge from Halliday and composure to steady himself before he picked his spot and fired the ball high into McGregor’s net. The keeper had no chance and, once again, was let down by those in front of him.

The respective reactions in the following seconds said it all. As St Johnstone celebrated, Rangers were booed off at the break.

The loudest cheer from the travelling support had come when Lee Wallace was given only his second appearance of the season and replaced the injured Borna Barisic. It was a warm reception for the former Ibrox captain, but the moans and groans quickly became ever more audible and prevalent.

There was no reaction from Gerrard’s side at the start of the second half. Possession was wasted too readily as passes were misplaced and aimless, flighted crosses from either flank caused no angst to a Saints defence that were settled.

When a quality ball was eventually put into the area, Rangers got their rewards. Goldson found substitute Glenn Middleton on the left and the youngster had time to pick out his man.

It was Morelos that he found and the Colombian did well to head beyond Zander Clark for his 18th goal of the campaign. It was also his first in four matches.

Rangers suddenly had a bit of belief about them again. They escaped unscathed as Kennedy almost curled an effort into the bottom corner but McCrorie fired over from the edge of the area as Gerrard’s side swarmed forward in search of the winner.

Keeper Clark made a smart save from Candeias at the near post and then somehow got a hand on the follow-up from Kyle Lafferty. Before that, McGregor had denied Blair Alston.

As the clock ticked into the last ten minutes, the game was there to be won for both sides. It hadn’t been a classic, but the closing stages were going to be crucial.

Lafferty was once again thwarted by Clark after he got on the end of a Goldson header. When the Northern Irishman flicked a Middleton corner towards the near post, the keeper proved equal to it as he continued to impress between the sticks.

Rangers waited in anticipation as Halliday lined-up a free-kick within shooting range but his tame effort struck the wall. St Johnstone broke quickly but Alston couldn’t finish the move as he headed over.

That was St Johnstone’s last chance. Within seconds, the ball was in the net and it was Morelos that was the hero for Rangers.

The forward timed his run perfectly to meet a Tavernier cross and the finish was clinical. From six yards, Clark was finally beaten. So were St Johnstone.

An afternoon that could have gone horribly wrong for Gerrard ended on a high note as a win that never looked on the card was belatedly secured.

This certainly wasn’t pretty from Rangers. It was effective enough, though. Just.