McDowall backs Aluko despite gaffe for Rangers

KENNY McDowall has leapt to the defence of Sone Aluko after the former Aberdeen player was guilty of gifting the winner to Kilmarnock on Sunday.

Making his Rangers debut, Aluko failed to come out quickly enough after being stationed on a post for a Kilmarnock corner, and so played Manuel Pascali onside. Pascali’s 80th-minute header was the difference between the two sides, but McDowall said it was unfair to blame Aluko for his team’s 1-0 defeat.

“I think it’s harsh, really harsh, to highlight it or say that he’s blundered – because really, he deserved to be in a winning team for the positive stuff he’s done,” the Rangers assistant manager said. “The criticism is unfair. Sone did very well. He was unlucky not to score. He hit the post and had a couple of chances cleared off the line. He’s a professional player and won’t be bothered by what’s said about him. He was the one who carried the can, but that’s life at one of the big clubs.

“It’s one of those goals: just a punt back into the box after it has come out from a corner. He was on the post, as one of the smaller guys in the team, and he just got himself caught in. To be fair, Allan McGregor is also caught, not quite there and not quite on his line. It happens. We’re not going to hang him out to dry for it. He did well in the game and Kilmarnock just took their opportunity. It did happen, but it’s not down to him being new. He’s a senior player, a professional player. It’s not like he’s never been on the post at a corner. He’s done all this before. But sometimes it happens.”

Aluko only signed for Rangers last week after compensation had been agreed with Aberdeen. The 22-year-old winger had been a free agent since leaving Pittodrie in the summer.