Caretaker manager Kenny McDowall has admitted our defensive frailties cost us in the two one loss to Raith Rovers in the Scottish Cup this weekend.
Having got to half time with the scores level, Rangers were looking to kick on in the second period but instead found themselves behind twice, with on loan Newcastle striker Haris Vuckic’s first goal for the club just after the hour mark, not being enough on the day.
Speaking to the Official Site following the loss, the gaffer pointed squarely to our inability to keep the ball out of the net of late.
‘We are all bitterly disappointed, it’s a game we feel we should have won. It was tight up until half time and I told them at the break just to be patient and to keep plugging away and be mindful not to lose a goal but to get a goal – that isn’t what happened. I think when you’re giving goals away it makes life very difficult and yet again we’ve done that – we’ve gifted them two goals.’
McDowall goes on to say that given sides are already ‘up’ for games against us because of the scalp we can provide them with, we are just setting ourselves back way too often and giving ourselves mountains to climb constantly and one more it’s cost us.
‘I think the boys gave me enough but it’s just that we keep losing goals, we need to cut out the mistakes and conceding goals. When you lose a goal a team have a cause to fight for, to defend that and that is what makes life even more difficult when you try to get a goal yourself.’
With us going behind once and getting back on levels terms, the gaffer admitted the run of desire that got us to that stage just didn’t last long enough and we slipped back again and didn’t test them enough.
There was however praise for on loan Vuckic for his efforts and his goal.
‘I thought Haris did very well and it was a fantastic finish, we’re just disappointed that it didn’t help us win the game. Remie Streete was also doing well before he came off injured. I’ve not had chance to speak to the medics yet so I need to see how long he will be out for, but it was disappointing to lose him.’
With more resignation than anything else, McDowall ended his interview by saying that despite the disappointment all the team can do is move on now, because all we have left to fight for is the league and he has no idea if that was a positive or not, as all that matters is that we get back to winning ways and stop giving away cheap goals or this season is really going to end up differently to how anybody wanted.
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