Diouf signed on loan from Blackburn for the Scottish champions on transfer deadline day and was named on the bench for the Clydesdale Bank Premier League clash, along with fellow new recruits David Healy and Kyle Bartley.

He was thrown into the action earlier than anticipated when Lee McCulloch - now a doubt for Sunday's Old Firm game - limped out of the match after just 20 minutes.

Smith said: "He needs time because he has not played for a few weeks now.

"He was pitched in and we saw tonight that he wants to take part in the game and was keen to be involved with everything. I'm pleased by the way he played."

Ian Black, Ryan Stevenson and Marius Zaliukas were all booked for challenges on Diouf - who famously spat on a fan at Celtic Park in 2003 - as Smith's controversial new capture was handed a tough introduction to Scottish football.

"He handled it well overall," Smith added.

"That's always going to be the case and he will have to do that and continue to handle that aspect of the game. I thought he did that very well tonight.

"Overall I was pleased with the way he played considering serial killers get better publicity than he has over the last few days.

"It was never going to be easy for him after all that so I was pleased he handled it."

Black - who was already unpopular with Rangers fans for the challenge which sidelined Nikica Jelavic for several months - was fortunate to escape with a caution for his reckless challenge on Diouf.

"It was the same as the one that put Jelavic out for three months," said Smith.

Asked if he was surprised it was only a yellow card, the Rangers boss added: "It's not really an unusual one.

"He got a yellow card for a similar challenge on Jelavic so that seems to be what happens. I've got no problem with that."

Kyle Lafferty grabbed the only goal of the game as Rangers moved to within five points of Celtic, with two games in hand.

Both teams meet in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup this weekend and Smith now has mixed news on the injury front.

He said: "McCulloch's had a slight knee problem for a few weeks now and he took a kick on it so he would be doubtful for Sunday.

"I hope Jelavic will be okay, I think so. He might make it. He's had two or three days rest now and it's getting better every day so I would hope he would be okay for Sunday."

Hearts boss Jim Jefferies withdrew Black at half-time and admitted it was partly because he feared he would pick up a red card in the second half.

He said: "It was a bit of both. He was targeted a lot by the crowd and even with an accidental challenge, he could have been off. He had a knock as well so it was the right thing to do."

Hearts, who lost David Obua in the warm-up, suffered a 4-0 defeat to Celtic last week and Jefferies added: "It was better than last Wednesday.

"We had a makeshift squad tonight but they gave us everything and we didn't capitulate like last week.

"We can't complain about the efforts of the players, although you could see we had key players missing."

Hearts held talks today with their former defender Andy Webster, who was released by Rangers this week, and who has also been linked with Edinburgh rivals Hibernian.

Jefferies said: "It went fine. He's got a lot of options, some decent offers, but the talks went well.

"He obviously knows all about the club already so it's about getting an agreement now. We won't put him under any pressure, it's up to him.

"He'll listen to offers from elsewhere and make his decision. We've done all we can and we will wait and see if his agent and our people can agree a deal."