KEEP YOUR COOL
Warburton issues warning to Halliday after reckless challenge almost ruins Rangers’ hard-fought win over Dundee
MARK WARBURTON last night warned Andy Halliday that his reckless tackle on Craig Wighton could have cost Rangers a hard-fought victory over Dundee.
Halliday was booked by referee Willie Collum for a late lunge on the attacker as he broke clear but Warburton admitted the referee’s punishment could have been more severe.
And the Ibrox manager has urged the midfielder to curb his frustration when games are not going in Rangers’ favour.
‘You can’t do that,’ said Warburton of Halliday’s tackle. ‘Andy is a very good player, Rangers through and through, but one moment of recklessness from anyone in our team could cost us.
‘Can we improve on those areas? Yes. Don’t get frustrated, keep doing what we do and, hopefully, the results will come.’
With Rangers retaining a full complement of players, the result did indeed come with substitute Harry Forrester’s header clinching the points in stoppage-time.
It was a heartbreaking moment for Dundee boss Paul Hartley, who felt his side had merited a point for an organised and disciplined performance.
He refused to be drawn into direct criticism of Collum, saying: ‘I don’t like to comment on other players in
terms of getting them sent off.
‘It’s a late tackle but it’s probably a good tackle from their part as Wighton was breaking down the left.’
Aside from the Halliday flashpoint, Warburton’s day revolved around substitutions but the initial portents weren’t especially positive.
Prior to unleashing his eventual match-winner Forrester, Warburton had his judgment questioned by a sizeable minority inside Ibrox as he withdrew midfielder Josh Windass in favour of Barrie McKay.
‘I thought Josh was excellent today but he came off because he needs to work on his fitness levels,’ explained the manager.
‘I can understand the fans asking why he can’t go 90 minutes, but he is a young player that we have to look after. There is a lot more to it than maybe the fans see at first sight.’
Forrester has been a peripheral figure of late and Warburton has challenged him to use his decisive header as a springboard to earning more game time.
He added: ‘Harry is a street footballer. We had him as 13-year-old kid (at Watford) and we did the old 20-a-side games and Harry was the one who wanted the ball.
‘Like Josh, he has to work on his fitness levels. He has a had a few niggles, too. Harry won’t be pleased with the remark but, at the minute, he is a more effective sub. He needs to make sure he can deliver over 90 minutes.’
While the result kept Rangers within a point of second-placed Aberdeen, it helped plunge Dundee back to the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership.
Hartley saw enough in his team’s performance to suggest the placing will not be permanent.
‘We’re not too worried about that,’ he insisted. ‘We’ve shown over the past month that we’re a different team now.’