Boss Philippe Clement admits Rangers have lost “too many” William Hill Premiership points this season after another setback in the 1-1 draw against Dundee United at Ibrox.
On a day the Scottish fixture list was badly affected by the snow and rain of Storm Bert, Jim Goodwin’s men were held up by traffic problems which eventually put the kick-off back 55 minutes.
But the visitors shrugged off their problems to take the lead in the 36th minute through striker Sam Dalby’s header.
Frustrated Gers fans booed their side off at the interval before they got back on level terms in the 66th minute through winger Vaclav Cerny, although the draw means they have lost 13 points from 12 games this season.
Rangers did cut the gap behind second-placed Aberdeen to eight points after the Dons lost 2-1 at St Mirren but Clement said: “Very frustrating to lose points and we have already lost too many this season. So we know we don’t have credit in the bank in that way.
“We lose too many points. We’re not where we want to be as a club.
“We knew that before this game. So in that way it’s two points again lost that we cannot lose.
“Last season we won these kind of games every time, even when it was difficult. We could push things over the line.
“But we need to show more the level of the second half, much more.
“It is how I want to see how we play football, how we press, how we create chances, how we don’t concede chances.
“So everything was there, only not the second goal and that’s the frustrating thing.
“First half I was not satisfied. I didn’t see enough braveness, enough movement, enough initiative of the team.
“So we need to show more of what we did in the second half and that’s what we need to show more in the future.”
United boss Goodwin praised his players for leaving Ibrox with a point after the worst possible preparation.
He said: “Obviously we’re really pleased to take a point away from the game, especially given the situation prior to the game and how poor the preparation was.
“The lads were sitting on a bus from 9.30 in the morning until 2.00 pm when they got to Glasgow.
“The weather didn’t help and then obviously you’ve got a couple of major incidents on the roads as well, which delayed the whole thing.
“It was probably as bad as you could prepare for the game.
“I think it just goes to show the great character and the resilience this group has got.
“I thought they were really good on the day and deservedly took something from the game.
“I just said to them that you find out a lot about yourselves in moments of adversity, individually and collectively as a group.
“I said we can we go out there and dig deep and the players did that each to a man.
“In the second half, Rangers had the majority of it. Clement made some good changes at half-time, it caused a few problems, but it was a real collective effort.
“The defenders, I thought, defended the box brilliantly in the second half, apart from the goal.
“We’re really disappointed with the goal because it’s something we highlighted in the build up to the game, particularly with Cerny.
“He’s very good at playing passes around the corner, continuing his run, and then there was a very good finish from him.
“You need your goalkeeper to have a good performance when you come to places like this and Jack Walton was outstanding.
“In the dying moments of the game he made two or three really big saves.”
