Mark Warburton praises Dominic Ball for midfield switch

The natural centre back has been asked to play in midfield. Picture: PA

The on-loan Tottenham player stepped in for the suspended Andy Halliday during Saturday’s 1-0 win over Falkirk and retained his place in the holding role when Halliday returned in a more advanced position to fire Rangers to a 1-0  triumph over Raith Rovers on Tuesday night.

The Kirkcaldy victory meant Rangers kept three consecutive clean sheets, for only the second time this season, and Ball could retain his anchor role when Kilmarnock visit Ibrox in the William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round on Saturday.

Warburton told  RangersTV: “I thought Dom Ball was excellent sitting in front of the back four. He was tidy, he was neat in what he did. So I’m really pleased with Dom. The centre-halves were strong as well.”

Central defender Rob Kiernan was delighted to keep another clean sheet.

“It’s down to all of us and it starts from the front,”  he said.

“But for the boys at the back, it’s all we care about. If we can do that, it gives us the platform to win games.”

Kiernan is confident Rangers will progress into the quarter-finals at the weekend.

“I’m very confident,” the former Wigan player said. “We should be, we’re a good team. We just need to turn up on the day and do our stuff.”