Andrew Dickson reports from Hampden

KRIS BOYD and Allan McGregor were the heroes as Rangers won a dramatic CIS Cup final penalty shoot-out to claim their first trophy since 2005 against Dundee United.

The Light Blues fell behind twice to the Arabs, both in regulation and extra-time, but Boyd pulled them level again each time.

And after McGregor saved kicks by David Robertson and Lee Wilkie, the former Kilmarnock hitman stepped up again to claim a thrilling 3-2 win from the spot.

It was a triumph which was clinched with grit rather than guile and although Walter Smith's men didn't play as well as they can, their character couldn't be questioned.

With Gers now going into April on the hunt for three other trophies, there is no doubt this success can act as a springboard for even glories.

As Nacho Novo and Steven Naismith were suspended and ineligible, manager Smith had to decide who he would play up front.

But as Jean-Claude Darcheville was still not fully fit, he put him on the bench and opted to use Lee McCulloch in a sole striking role.

It was the Scotland cap who had the game's first opportunity, with his header from a Chris Burke corner flashing over.

Burke had a go too, cutting inside from his position on the left wing to shoot low at goal, but he saw his effort roll into Lukasz Zaluska's arms.

United didn't respond with much but it did take a Carlos Cuellar clearance to prevent Willo Flood's cross from becoming more treacherous.

Indeed, the only attempt the Arabs could muster in the opening stages was a wayward drive from Prince Buaben that would have been more appropriate at Murrayfield.

It was taking Rangers time to get going and it seemed their exertions against Werder Bremen on Thursday had taken a lot out of the nine starters who began that match.

But they started to look more enterprising and Barry Ferguson's header was deflected wide by opposing captain Wilkie when it might have gone in.

Kirk Broadfoot then crossed to McCulloch, who dummied well to set up Ferguson and his shot on the turn was stopped by Zaluska.

While United weren't creating many clear-cut chances, Wilkie's presence in the Gers box was enough to unsettle McGregor and force a corner.

Mark Kerr soon fired a warning that the Arabs were growing in confidence when he drilled a couple of yards over the upright from distance.

Rangers didn't take heed and 11 minutes before the before midway point, they fell behind in bizarre circumstances.

Buaben and Mark de Vries were both involved, getting possession to Noel Hunt at the back post and as he and Steven Davis slid in, the ball came to rest against the post.

Hunt was quicker to react and prodded it in to send the thousands of fans in Hampden's East Stand into raptures.

The Light Blues were desperate to hit back quickly but their tired legs were clearly restricting them.

And it could have been 2-0 before the break when Sasa Papac went for the ball with de Vries, only for it to bounce off him, through McGregor's legs and towards goal.

Had Cuellar not been on the line to hack away to safety, the Ibrox outfit would have had a mountain to climb after the interval.

Smith threw on Darcheville for Brahim Hemdani at the restart and after United had a decent penalty claim waved away, he almost brought the sides level.

Papac released the Frenchman down the left and he ran at Wilkie, surging past him and towards goal.

As he made his way into the area and the ball took a bobble but that helped him and it was only Zaluska's slight touch took it the wrong side of the post.

Boyd was next to come on as Smith tried to get his team into the contest again, with Papac making way.

Ferguson had a shot blocked and at last his team appeared to be finding some rhythm with quarter of the game still to go.

Indeed, Rangers were camping themselves in the opposing half by now, with Morgaro Gomis' ambitious hit from 30 yards providing United's only relief.

Gers thought they had levelled when Ferguson's free kick after a foul on Cuellar was headed in by Darcheville.

But it was taken too quickly for referee Kenny Clark's liking and he pulled play back, demanding the set-piece be set up once more.

Time was ebbing away but Darcheville brought out an excellent save from Zaluska when he latched on to Boyd's flick and that gave Rangers hope.

And then, with six minutes left, a breakthrough came at last from nothing thanks to United midfielder Kerr.

After McCulloch's shot had been stopped, the ball fell to the former Falkirk man with plenty of space in front of him.

But rather than forge forward, he turned the ball back towards Zaluska and Boyd nipped in to poke home a dramatic leveller.

The momentum was finally with Smith's side and they pressed ahead further looking for a winner.

But McCulloch almost handed victory to the Arabs when he gave away a stupid foul and when Flood's free kick hit the wall, extra time beckoned.

An additional 30 minutes was probably the last thing Smith's shattered players needed and when United regained the lead five minutes in, the outlook wasn't good.

De Vries was the scorer, stepping beyond Broadfoot and firing low past McGregor to make it 2-1.

The only positive Rangers could take was that they still had enough time remaining to haul themselves into the game again.

Boyd almost grabbed a second equaliser when McCulloch found him with a flick but he hooked over and the Light Blues found the odds stacked against them.

But this is a team which simply doesn't know when it is down and with eight minutes to go, it was 2-2.

Once more, Boyd was the hero when he nodded a lovely Davis chip in at the back post and that forced penalties.

Flood gave United the initiative and when Darcheville could only smack the underside of the bar, Rangers were up against it again.

But Craig Conway missed for Craig Levein's team and Steven Whittaker netted to level before de Vries and Davis both scored.

Robertson and McCulloch traded misses to take the shoot-out down to the final two attempts.

And when Wilkie saw his shot stopped by McGregor, it was down to Boyd, a scorer 15 times against United before today, to hammer home and end the trophy drought.

RANGERS: McGregor; Broadfoot, Weir, Cuellar, Papac (Boyd 60); Davis, Hemdani (Darcheville 46), Dailly, Ferguson, Burke (Whittaker 115); McCulloch.

Subs not used: Thomson, Alexander.

DUNDEE UNITED: Zalukska; Kovacevic, Wilkie, Kenneth, Kalvenes; Flood, Kerr, Gomis, Buaben; De Vries, Hunt (Conway 78).

Subs not used: Dods, Dillon, Robertson, McLean.

Referee: Kenny Clark.