RANGERS’ FLAG DAY FALLS FLAT
LEE WALLACE last night voiced his regret at being unable to give Rangers fans in a capacity crowd at Ibrox the top-flight homecoming victory they craved on an emotional afternoon for the captain and the team’s supporters.
The Ladbrokes Premiership newcomers began the pursuit of Celtic’s title with only a point on opening weekend as Hamilton Accies ground out a 1-1 draw.
Martyn Waghorn, who later had to be taken off after suffering a hamstring injury, cancelled out Ali
Crawford’s strike for the visitors. That left Wallace — who, after the club’s demotion to the old Third Division in 2012 stuck by Rangers and played through the journey back — feeling deflated.
‘Leading the team out was an emotional moment for me,’ said Wallace. ‘It’s up there as the best yet in my career. When we were standing waiting on the flag being unfurled, I was really emotional.
‘But it was a good emotion. For those few minutes, I could take in everything that’s gone in the previous few years. How we stuck together. There was a real unity at that moment.
‘That’s why it’s such a disappointment that we couldn’t win for the supporters on such an occasion because they’ve been so phenomenal.
‘But we won’t feel sorry for ourselves. We’ll try to put things right so that more often than not we’ll send the fans home happy.
‘The new boys know how this club operates and the pressures involved. It did not take this result for them to realise that.
‘But the atmosphere will have been completely new. They won’t have experienced that for an opening game anywhere.’
One of those new boys, midfielder Niko Kranjcar, was defended by boss Mark Warburton after looking off the pace on his league debut.
The Croatian was replaced by Harry Forrester who, with his first touch, set up Waghorn to score.
‘Don’t forget, the team looked vibrant after the substitutions because the other boys had worked the opposition for an hour,’ said Warburton. ‘Niko is part of that process.
‘The lads will get their fitness. We’ll not rush them. It’s a long season.’
Kranjcar was, however, guilty of going to ground in the box — a move that helped Crawford cut inside and score.
Warburton added: ‘I’m disappointed at the manner of their goal. It’s a ball into the box. We should stay on our feet and steer him away from goal. Good finish, but it’s a mistake on our part.’
Crawford is no stranger to silencing an Old Firm crowd. At Parkhead in 2014 his goal helped Accies beat Celtic 1-0 and there was disappointment for the 25-year-old at not completing a double.
‘The goal today is up there but the one at Celtic Park is better because it was a winner,’ he said.