Smith makes no excuses for Old Firm loss

03 January 2011 07:00

Walter Smith admits Rangers only had themselves to blame as they slumped to an Old Firm derby defeat at Ibrox.

Georgios Samaras was the hero for Celtic after his double secured a 2-0 win as the Hoops moved four points clear at the summit of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League, although the Scottish champions do have two games in hand. And, as far as Smith is concerned, the nature of those goals was the hardest part to take.

"We've got to be disappointed with the way we conceded the goals, they were poor goals from our own point of view," he said. "We've got nobody to blame but ourselves in that respect. I'm disappointed that we lost in the manner we did."

He added: "If Celtic had scored a couple of good ones, it might have been easier for us to take."

Rangers appeared to be missing a spark as they squandered the opportunity to reclaim their lead at the top of the SPL in front of their own fans.

But Smith claims he had no real complaints about the performance of his players, other than in the final third with Fraser Forster barely troubled in the Celtic goal.

He said: "I didn't think there was a flatness about Rangers. I thought we played very well up until about 25 yards from goal.

"I think you've got to give credit to the opposition at times. I felt Celtic defended very well, they set their stall out to play deep and not allow us great opportunity to get behind them. That worked very well for them.

"My disappointment is that we didn't do enough to cause them a problem in that respect.

"If you were looking at the game, I thought we started that game as well as any Old Firm game I've been involved in."

Source: PA