Rangers see off Raith Rovers and pull further clear of Hibernian
Mark Warburton insists the Rangers support have every right to start their title celebrations early, but the manager is still refusing to get carried away after another Hibernian slip-up.
His team beat Raith Rovers 2-0 at Ibrox to extend their Championship lead to 14 points after Alan Stubbs’s side crashed to their third successive defeat, 1-0 at Queen of the South.
With only nine games to play, the leaders need five more wins to wrap up promotion, with the home game against Dumbarton on 5 April provisionally booked in for the party should the gap remain as it is.
The home fans in Govan lapped up the news from Palmerston Park – where the on-loan Light Blues midfielder Andy Murdoch struck the decisive blow – by chanting: “Stand up for the champions.”
But after watching goals from Harry Forrester and the captain, Lee Wallace, see off Rovers, Warburton said: “This doesn’t change my thinking [on the title race]. It can’t do. The fans have been through a lot over the last four years so you can understand their desire to see Rangers back in the top league. But there is still nine games to go and still a lot of points to play for. It’s still one game at a time and everything now is geared towards the cup game with Dundee this weekend.”
Forrester climbed off the bench on Saturday to fire Rangers’ last-gasp winner against St Mirren.
His reward was a starting slot against Tuesday’s Fife opponents and he did not disappoint Warburton, with an influential display. He swept home a fine opener after 27 minutes after finding space with some clever footwork on the edge of the box, while Wallace drilled the second past Kevin Cuthbert six minutes after half-time.
Forrester, a former Doncaster forward, arrived in January on a six-month deal but his manager said he could win himself a longer stay if he continued to shine.
“Harry was really good tonight,” said Warburton, who first worked with him at Brentford. “He has nothing to prove to [my assistant] Davie Weir and I. The pleasing thing now is that the fans can see how good he can be.
“He is a technically gifted player, a street player. He plays off the cuff, has loads of ability, but was trying too hard to impress when he first came in. The goal at the weekend helped him and you saw tonight what he can do. I was really pleased for him because he has worked so hard and was desperate to do well. Now you’ve seen the quality he can bring.
“When you sign a player it’s a big decision. It’s got to be right for all parties. But if he keeps on doing what he’s doing I’m sure everything will work out well.”
The Rovers manager, Ray McKinnon, admitted Wallace’s goal was a blow to his side’s hopes, saying: “We were disappointed to lose the second goal so soon after half-time because we had hoped to keep it tight then have a right push for it later on in the game. That killed us.
“But Rangers are a right good team. They are dominating Premiership teams. They will be champions and there is no disgrace coming here and losing 2-0.”