Veteran defender Keith Curle answered an SOS from Barnsley boss Steve Parkin and helped the Tykes to their first win of the season.
Curle, 38, played for nothing to help Barnsley out of defensive difficulties. The home side certainly deserved to chalk up a vital first win and a rare clean sheet.
Rangers had the better of the chances in the first half, however, with former Barnsley forward Kevin Gallen spurning a string of openings.
After 24 minutes Gallen completely miskicked at the far post after Karl Connolly had delivered a teasing cross from the left.
And a minute later Gallen did make contact with the ball, only to see own keeper Andy Marriott pull off a fine save, with Gallen sending the follow-up high over the bar.
Barnsley's best opening of the first half came from Marriott's long clearance on the half hour mark. Kevin Betsy flicked on and Bruce Dyer's volley took a deflection off Steve Palmer but clipped the top of the crossbar, with Rangers keeper Nick Culkin left stranded.
From the resulting corner home skipper Chris Morgan headed over from six yards.
Barnsley made the breakthrough in the 57th minute with the best move of the match.
Curle started things off with a simple pass inside to Chris Lumsdon, who immediately fed Andy Holt, on loan from Hull, on the left.
He picked out Dyer with a clever pass and when the striker laid the ball back Lumsdon had made up the ground from midfield to lash in a lovely left-footer from 15 yards.
Former Rangers striker Mike Sheron had a stinker for the home side but the introduction of Curle and Holt certainly made a difference to Barnsley's shaky back line.
Dyer was denied by a brave save from Culkin but it was Rangers who again had the better of the chances as the match wore on.
Marriott made two fine saves, one again from Gallen, as Barnsley managed to hang on and secure a vital victory