Hearts game is ‘must-win’, admits David Templeton

FORMER Hearts winger David Templeton admits that the Championship clash with the Tynecastle side at Ibrox on Friday comes into the must-win category for Rangers if they are to have any chance of winning the title this season.

David Templeton, pursued by Alloas Mark Docherty, is looking forward to Fridays meeting with his old club. Picture: PA

Templeton played his part in Rangers’ 1-0 win over Alloa on Saturday, but homing distinctly into sight for him was the top of the table clash in Glasgow in four days’ time.

“Our consistency hasn’t really been there, but Friday is a massive game for us,” he said. “If we can get a win it would give us a lot of confidence to go on an unbeaten run.

“I think Friday is a game we have to win – there’s no other way to see it. Hearts are a good bit ahead of us so we have to win, and try to claw it back, and then hope that other teams can pick up points against them.”

Templeton admitted to being taken aback by the ferocity of his old club’s title challenge this season.

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“Hearts have been on a great run. I thought that, coming in to the Christmas period, they might have found it a bit tougher and dropped points, but they’ve done really well, and they’re winning games quite convincingly.

“So we have to try to take all three points on Friday.”

Templeton said Rangers were satisfied just to escape Alloa on Saturday with the full set of points.

“We had chances to make it more comfortable before they started to put the pressure on us, but we managed to see it out – it’s a great three points.

“The only negative for us is Hearts still have their lead over us.

“So we have to go into Friday’s game, play well and hope to get the three points, and then hope that other teams can take points off them.”

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