Rangers put their off-field problems to one side to book their place in the semi-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with a 3-1 victory over Dundee.

Last year's finalists started well when they took an early lead through Steven Whittaker before Dundee - second only to Celtic in terms of their spending over the summer - responded in style when the impressive Leigh Griffiths claimed his 12th goal of the season.

But the Irn-Bru First Division leaders were denied their place in the last four of the competition when Gary MacKenzie nodded into his own net before John Fleck put the gloss on the victory with a late strike.

Walter Smith and his players were no doubt grateful for the opportunity to focus on the game after several days of headlines sparked by the manager's claims that the bank was now controlling spending.

Whittaker opened the scoring after 15 minutes when he headed home Fleck's teasing corner but Dundee levelled in stunning style when Griffiths curled a superb free-kick past Neil Alexander.

Rangers reclaimed their lead 12 minutes after the interval when MacKenzie inadvertently directed a Whittaker cross into his own net and Fleck added a third five minutes from the end following good work from Nacho Novo.