Brown and Rogne had made way for Ki and Loovens respectively and Rangers made an enforced change of their own when Madjid Bougherra came off to be replaced by Kyle Hutton.
Rangers made a surprise change in goal with regular first-choice Allan McGregor dropped to the bench and Alexander starting while there were also places in the line-up for youngster Kyle Hutton and the returning Kyle Lafferty, back after illness.
The opening exchanges were played at a frantic pace, with Maloney and Scott McDonald testing the Rangers rearguard, which was soon to change formation when Little went off injured in just 13 minutes and striker Nacho Novo coming on.