ABERDEEN had to dig themselves out of the snow just to make it to Ibrox.
Two first half goals for Rangers left them buried once more.
Emmanuel Fernandez and Nico Raskin both scored on a night when Danny Rohl’s men moved up to second in the table.
Remarkably, Gers – who looked like title also-rans just two months ago- are now just three points behind league leaders Hearts – and closing.
This was the first of back-to-back clashes between these two old rivals.
Having backed up their Old Firm heroics in their first game back home, Rangers will now be seeking to emerge unscathed from Pittodrie on Sunday.
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The axe fell on Jimmy Thelin on Sunday night.
Aberdeen’s third straight loss – their ninth in the league so far this season – proved the tipping point for chairman Dave Cormack.
Defeat to Falkirk had left the Dons languishing in eighth spot in the table – scant return for the money invested in the team.
The Swede, of course, had secured Aberdeen’s first Scottish Cup in 35 years back in May.
But time has now been called on his roller-coaster 18-month reign.
It left former Ibrox youth starlet Peter Leven – now in temporary charge – with just two days to prepare for the first of back-to-back clashes against Gers.
While the hunt for Thelin’s successor gets underway, Leven had to find a way of somehow steadying the ship.
Against a reborn Rangers side, it was a big ask.
After securing a famous victory over Celtic at the weekend, the Ibrox side now have league leaders Hearts in their sights.
The gap to the top was 13 points when Rohl took charge back in October.
The Light Blues could cut it down to just three with a win over Dons.
Confidence was rock bottom when the German was named as Russell Martin’s successor.
Gers were eighth in the league, just four points off the bottom.
They’d scored just six goals, conceding seven, and had managed a solitary win in seven.
Now, under Rohl, they’ve taken 29 points from a possible 36.
Level on points with Celtic, Gers are up to third having scored 22 goals and losing just eight.
Given the shambles he inherited, the turnaround has been remarkable.
But he’d been at pains to point out the Old Firm win would count for nothing if Gers didn’t back it up against Aberdeen.
They pretty much picked up from where they left off at Celtic Park.
Two defensive lapses aside, Gers were in cruise control by the time the half-time whistle went.
Connor Barron almost got them off to the dream start when Dimitar Mitov dropped a James Tavernier free-kick.
Credit to the Dons keeper, he redeemed himself by getting a leg to Barron’s close range effort.
Mikey Moore then had a shot blocked after some superb play by Raskin.
From the resultant corner, and with just 11 minutes on the clock, Gers got their noses in front.
Mitov came charging off his line in an attempt to gather Barron’s corner, but he was caught in no man’s land, allowing Fernandez to head home his fifth of the season.
It was a costly mistake from such an experienced keeper.
The Dons then blew a golden chance to draw level when a simple Dante Polvara through ball split the Gers defence.
Kenan Bilalovic was in on goal, but a shocking first touch saw the ball drift harmlessly into the grateful arms of Jack Butland.
After Barron had his second effort of the night blocked, another defensive mix up gifted Bilalovic yet another chance.
Fernandez was far too slack, allowing Kevin Nesbit to break. The Scotland star must have been tempted to go it alone, instead he squared for his strike partner who made a honking mess of it.
How the Dons were left to rue those two opportunities.
With just four minutes of the first half left, Gers doubled their lead.
It all came from another Barron corner, the midfielder this time going short with his delivery.
Raskin wasn’t tracked, racing across his marker to send a thumping header beyond Mitov.
It was so easy for Rangers and so poor from Aberdeen.
They may have changed managers, but they hadn’t been able to change their woeful form.
The visitors knew they needed the next goal and they did start the second half much better than they’d ended the first.
Crucially, however, Butland had yet to make a save of any note.
At the other end, Tavernier blasted over when he should have at least made Mitov work.
With 64 minutes gone, Butland was finally called into action, saving superbly from a clever flicked Nesbit header.
Mitov made amends for his first half blunder when he denied Raskin what would have been the Belgian’s second of the night.
The Aberdeen No.1 produced a stunning one handed save as Gers looked to put the game to bed.
Thelo Aasgaard was presented with a clear sight of the Dons goal with just two minutes remaining, but he too blazed high over the bar.
In stoppage time, Leighton Clarkson almost grabbed a consolation for the visitors, but Butland refused to be beaten.
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