Lindsay Herron reports from Ibrox

THE STRENGH in depth of Rangers under Walter Smith was glaringly evident as the Light Blues stormed back to the top of the SPL.

Out went Euro stars Charlie Adam and Jean-Claude Darcheville and in came Lee McCulloch and Stevie Naismith to show their match-winning abilities.

Adam and Darche had struck the goals which put Stuttgart to the sword and it was McCulloch and Naismith who sorted out the Dons with their first SPL goals for the club.

A trademark Kris Boyd strike with two minutes remaining made it a comfortable win.

Rangers had taken the lead when Lee McCulloch produced a fantastic strike in the first minute of the second half.

Allan McGregor launched the ball forward, Daniel Cousin laid it off and McCulloch hit a sensational right foot volley which flew into the top right corner.

And Naismith made it a day to remember on his first start for the club when he grabbed a terrific goal in 64 minutes to seal the win.

It was Sasa Papac who fed him the ball down the left side and Naismith eased past Michael Hart before slotting a terrific right foot shot past Langfield from close range.

Sadly he left the field in some discomfort seven minutes from the end following a clattering challenge by Zander Diamond but it didn't dampen a brilliant day.

It was an incredible start to the second period after what had been a frustrating first half but McCulloch, back in the side in place of Charlie Adam, had been in the mood from the start.

He tested Jamie Langfield with a shot in three minutes and the Aberdeen keeper dealt with it well. Then in 13 minutes he drove a powerful effort just over the bar after good work from Stevie Naismith.

A trademark run from Alan Hutton in 17 minutes produced a corner but none of the big men could get on the end of Barry Ferguson's ball.

Aberdeen had not really been in the game but they caused a problem in 25 minutes. Ricky Foster cut in from the left and his shot was blocked but it broke to Scott Severin who hammered a low right foot shot just wide.

Rangers were back on the hunt, though, and in 31 minutes Stevie Whittaker was not too far away with a dipping left foot volley after getting away from Foster.

They went in at half time level with the Dons who had defended well but with less than 60 seconds of the second half underway McCulloch struck his first SPL goal for Rangers in sensational style.

It was a long ball forward by McGregor which was laid off by Cousin and McCulloch smashed a fantastic volley past the helpless Langfield.

The keeper saved Aberdeen from going further behind in 51 minutes when he made a tremendous block from Whittaker's drive. Then Cousin headed just past the post from Ferguson's corner.

With Celtic losing at Easter Road there was extra incentive for the Light Blues and they got the second goal they wanted in 64 minutes.

It was a special moment for Naismith as he took Papac's pass on the left side then skipped past Hart before clipping a great shot past Langfield.