Rangers manager Smith pleased with league form

Published on Monday 14 December 2009 08:56

RANGERS manager Walter Smith felt the comfortable 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League victory over St Johnstone was further evidence of his team's gradually improving form.

Smith has been more satisfied with domestic performances over the last month and is optimistic Rangers can thrive without the distraction of European football.

Kris Boyd, who missed the meaningless final Champions League defeat in Sevilla on Wednesday with a dead leg, took just 30 seconds to open the scoring when he slotted home after Saints defender Graham Gartland had gifted possession to DaMarcus Beasley.

Rangers cruised all afternoon with Boyd converting a 27th-minute penalty and Nacho Novo finishing off a counter-attack six minutes into the second half.

Neil Alexander was only really called upon twice after being drafted in for the injured Allan McGregor, making a couple of decent saves from Chris Millar, and Rangers made a steady stream of chances.

Smith said: "I think in the last month or so we're doing better now than we have done, domestically speaking, since the start of the season. We're creating far more opportunities and looked a bit sharper than we have done despite the one defeat at Aberdeen, which was our poorest performance recently."

Rangers can leapfrog Celtic at the top of the SPL on Tuesday if they win their rearranged match against Dundee United at Tannadice, and Smith is looking forward to continued improvement.

"I always think the first half of the season is difficult to handle," he said. "You have European football and you have to face the joys of winning or the disappointment.

"This year we had more disappointments and had to overcome that. We would much rather be playing European football in the second half of the season but we're not. It clears it up for us.

"I hope we can go on and show the form we did in the second half of last season, which was excellent. If we can do that, then I'll be happy."

One man looking forward to the second part of the campaign more than anyone at Ibrox is Kirk Broadfoot, who returned from a nine-month absence to start at right-back.

The 25-year-old had not played since aggravating a foot injury in the Co-operative Insurance Cup final in March but coped comfortably with 90 minutes.

He said: "Emotionally, it's probably been the toughest time of my life. It's been a long slog, nine months out when initially I only thought it would be two or three weeks.

"But I feel as if I am a stronger person for it. The foot feels okay and hopefully there is no reaction and I can kick on.

"I have been in when the players have been off, doing extra training with the physio and fitness coach. I am probably the fittest I have been in my career."

While Smith was delighted with his side's display, they were given a huge helping hand by Saints.

Boyd's second goal also came from a poor pass from a visiting centre-half, with Novo brought down by goalkeeper Graeme Smith after an under-hit passback from Steven Anderson.

Saints had lost centre-backs Kevin Rutkiewicz and Stuart McCaffrey to injury, along with striker Collin Samuel, and manager Derek McInnes admitted they "slit their own throats" at the back.

He added: "Sometimes the nature of those goals can knock the stuffing out of you. Credit to the ones who kept going, but it wasn't an enjoyable afternoon."