Warburton finds a second wind after late turnaround
MARK WARBURTON defended his Rangers team’s top-flight challenge after another late show rescued Ladbrokes Premiership points at Partick Thistle.
Ibrox chairman Dave King admitted at Friday’s Annual General Meeting that he had expected Rangers to be more competitive in their first campaign back in the division.
They moved above Aberdeen and closed to within eight points of Celtic, who have two games in hand, thanks to two goals from Joe Dodoo in a 2-1 win.
The 21-year-old’s clincher came four minutes into injury time — one week on from Harry Forrester hitting a 93rd minute winner at home to Dundee.
Warburton said: ‘We’re sitting second tonight, aren’t we? I think the chairman was very good to us, we had a good conversation, I thought his comments were very supportive.
‘He’ll support us in the windows as he has done, his communication is very good. And we sit second, so we’re not doing too badly.’
Warburton expressed his disappointment with the first-half display but was buoyed by their response to going behind on 76 minutes when Kris Doolan struck.
‘Yes, you have to say you can admire the work ethic and the desire and for keeping going but we were disappointing in the first half,’ said Warburton.
‘We were frustrated at half-time. We didn’t squeeze play, didn’t look after the ball but we came out the second
half much better. We deserved to win in the end.
‘When we do what we do well, we’re a good side. We have to find solutions if there’s a problem and all credit to the players for working to the end and getting the reward.
‘We have striking options and Joe has banged on my door saying he wants his chance. All credit to him, he’s a great young professional. He was asked to make a difference when he came on and he did.’
After his first league goals for Rangers, Dodoo has plans to secure himself a regular start in the team.
‘That’s important for me because coming on as the sub can become a regular thing,’ said Dodoo. ‘You have to take your chance and I did that out there.
‘The manager said to me to be patient and my chance will come. It’s great because we needed that three points to climb up the table and we can’t afford to lose more points than we already have.
‘Fair play to Kenny (Miller) for seeing both passes and executing it perfectly for me to finish. He has been a great influence on me since I came to the club.’
Thistle manager Alan Archibald, whose side now sit bottom of the table, declared his dressing room ‘bitterly disappointed’ to concede late — an all too familiar tale in their season.
‘I’m proud of the lads, proud of the reaction we got after last week’s terrible performance,’ said Archiband. ‘I thought we were good all over the pitch, collectively and individually.
‘It was disappointing to lose a goal that came down to a slip.’