Rangers manager Walter Smith admits their worst performance of the season inspired one of their best as his players ran riot with a 4-0 win over Hearts.
Jean-Claude Darcheville and Nacho Novo both helped themselves to a double as Rangers claimed their 10th consecutive victory in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and maintained their four-point lead over Celtic at the summit of the SPL.
The match was billed as one of the toughest tests Rangers will face aside from the three remaining Old Firm derbies but Smith was thrilled to see his team respond to the pressure.
It was a far cry from the 4-2 hammering handed out by Hearts at Tynecastle back in September and Smith believes fear of another such failure was what drove his players on.
"It was two contrasting performances from the two games," said the Rangers boss.
"The one in September was probably our poorest game of the season and that performance tonight was one of our better ones. Hopefully we can continue to play at that level.
"Considering the way we played the last time we came here - or the way we didn't play - it was obviously one that you would concern yourself with.
"I think everybody was aware of that aspect of it and that as much as anything else helped to get a performance like that."
The 4-0 win means Rangers and Celtic are now level on goal difference but Smith was reluctant to contemplate such a close finish to the title race at this stage of the campaign.
He said: "It will only become a factor if we keep winning.
"Everybody says that we are on a good run of games and we are but Celtic have had that level of consistency for a number of seasons now so it's no surprise that they keep winning as well.
"We just need to keep winning first and foremost and, if it goes to goal difference, then it goes to goal difference."
Hearts fans headed for the exits in their droves well before the final whistle and caretaker boss Stephen Frail admitted they had been let down badly.
But he urged the Hearts support not to desert his team as he attempts to transform the fortunes of the Edinburgh club.
He said: "We have been turned over. It was as much of a 4-0 as you will see and it could have been more.
"These guys pay good money to come and watch the team and they deserve better than that.
"I can only ask them to stick with us because it has been a tough season but things are slowly improving and moving in the right way.
"But, tonight, we were just pretty toothless to be honest."
The match was billed as one of the toughest tests Rangers will face aside from the three remaining Old Firm derbies but Smith was thrilled to see his team respond to the pressure.
It was a far cry from the 4-2 hammering handed out by Hearts at Tynecastle back in September and Smith believes fear of another such failure was what drove his players on.
"It was two contrasting performances from the two games," said the Rangers boss.
"The one in September was probably our poorest game of the season and that performance tonight was one of our better ones. Hopefully we can continue to play at that level.
"Considering the way we played the last time we came here - or the way we didn't play - it was obviously one that you would concern yourself with.
"I think everybody was aware of that aspect of it and that as much as anything else helped to get a performance like that."
The 4-0 win means Rangers and Celtic are now level on goal difference but Smith was reluctant to contemplate such a close finish to the title race at this stage of the campaign.
He said: "It will only become a factor if we keep winning.
"Everybody says that we are on a good run of games and we are but Celtic have had that level of consistency for a number of seasons now so it's no surprise that they keep winning as well.
"We just need to keep winning first and foremost and, if it goes to goal difference, then it goes to goal difference."
Hearts fans headed for the exits in their droves well before the final whistle and caretaker boss Stephen Frail admitted they had been let down badly.
But he urged the Hearts support not to desert his team as he attempts to transform the fortunes of the Edinburgh club.
He said: "We have been turned over. It was as much of a 4-0 as you will see and it could have been more.
"These guys pay good money to come and watch the team and they deserve better than that.
"I can only ask them to stick with us because it has been a tough season but things are slowly improving and moving in the right way.
"But, tonight, we were just pretty toothless to be honest."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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