Rangers' foreign legion gave Dutch coach Dick Advocaat his first Scottish silverware after a tight League Cup final.

Roddy Forsyth reports (BBC Radio 5 Live)

But Saints, hit for seven the last time they played Rangers, fought right to the end in a vain effort to win the first trophy in their 114-year history.

In an early exchange, Frenchman Stephane Guivarc'h put Rangers ahead and Nick Dasovic equalised.

But the Glasgow team nudged ahead again eight minutes before the break through German Albertz.

Yet there was no repeat of the 7-0 McDiarmid Park massacre three weeks ago.

Rangers failed to find breathing space in the second half and were left counting down the minutes as Saints kept pressing.

Advocaat, who took over at the start of the season, said: "I felt no pressure to win, I don't know why. Walter Smith did a great job for Rangers, but that is the past, and it's not counting any more.

"I am so pleased for our fans because it costs a lot of money to come to all the games and again there were thousands here for us today.

Advocaat said he had to reorganise at half-time to tighten the defence.

"We had problems building up from the back and giving the ball away early on, but then it was a real cup game with not many chances for either team."

The match started at a frantic pace with two goals in the first seven minutes.

Sergio Porrini found Andrei Kanchelskis who cut the ball back from the byline and Guivarc'h scored the first. The signing from Newcastle had also netted twice on his Rangers debut at McDiarmid Park.

But the underdogs' reply was instant. John McQuillan's free-kick fell for Nick Dasovic who powered home a half-volley from the edge of the area.

Rangers responded by moving up a gear. Guivarc'h headed Rod Wallace's cross wide when he should have hit the target.

But they were rewarded when Albertz's left-foot shot took a slight deflection and beat keeper Alan Main.

Teams:

Rangers: Niemi, Porrini, Amoruso, Hendry, Numan, B. Ferguson, Kanchelskis, Van Bronckhorst, Guivarc'h, Wallace, Albertz. Subs: Durie, I. Ferguson, Vidmar.