Smith urges Gers to make most of their momentum

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 08:39

WALTER SMITH wants Rangers to maintain their impetus as they finished the weekend top of the Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League.

Goals from Kris Boyd, Kenny Miller and Steven Whittaker guided the Gers to a 3-0 win over Kilmarnock and to the top of the table, ahead of Celtic.

The Hoops appeared in pole position to leapfrog their Old Firm rivals but a last-minute Darren Dods goal saw them go down to a 2-1 defeat at Dundee United yesterday, keeping Rangers one point clear with a game in hand.

Smith said: "We have built up a bit of momentum now and hopefully we can keep that going."

Rangers play Stuttgart in the Champions League tomorrow night in a must-win game and Smith admits his team may have eased down with this in mind.

Boyd's goal was his eighth goal of the season but the striker knows his sparkling form may not be enough to earn him a place in Smith's plans for Stuttgart.

He said: "I'm like everybody else in the dressing room – I want to play, I want to be part of the big European nights. I'm no different from anybody else. Being a player at this club, you want to play on those big nights. But I've tasted the other side of it as well and I'm used to it."

Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies criticised his side's defending with the defeat keeping them just one point off relegation.

He said: "We started the game really well but you have to defend well and, after ten minutes, we went to pieces and the defence was shocking."