Rangers v Kilmarnock reaction

28 September 2011 08:50
Ally McCoist dismissed a tunnel altercation between Kirk Broadfoot and Manuel Pascali as "handbags" after Rangers' 2-0 win over Kilmarnock.[LNB] The pair clashed following the full-time whistle at Ibrox and McCoist believes both were given yellow cards by referee Willie Collum.[LNB]But the Gers boss says he witnessed the whole incident and was keen to play it down afterwards.[LNB]He said: "I played here for 15 years and that wouldn't rate in the top 25 of tunnel incidents.[LNB]"I'm not trying to play it down but it was absolutely nothing. I think the two players got a yellow card.[LNB]"I could sit and give you an hour on the incidents you would like to hear about but that was genuinely nothing.[LNB]"I saw the whole thing and it was like two boys in the playground. It was handbags, that's exactly what it was."[LNB]Second half goals from Nikica Jelavic and Gregg Wylde sealed a hard-fought victory after the opening 45 minutes ended goalless.[LNB]Rangers appeared to miss the influence of Steven Naismith, who was yesterday handed a retrospective ban by the Scottish Football Association for elbowing Austin McCann during Saturday's 4-0 win at Dunfermline.[LNB]Naismith was the first player to be tried under the SFA's new Fast Track Procedures and Rangers accepted the two-match ban, rather than fight the charge of violent conduct.[LNB]On the incident, McCoist said: "It was a mistake, that's what it is, and we have accepted it.[LNB]"We just want fairness. I'm still not sure who has banned Steven. It's not a problem because we have accepted it but it would be nice to know who has banned him.[LNB]"Steven's energy and his aggression and his desire are massive components of his game and I do not want to take that away from him. At the same time, everyone knows that you can't do what he did at the weekend.[LNB]"We are not arguing with the verdict but it would be nice to know who the judge and jury are. On a side issue, if anyone has come out of it better than most it's Austin McCann, who could have made more of it and didn't."[LNB]Asked whether Rangers missed Naismith tonight, McCoist added: "We've won the game.[LNB]"I'm not going to say we didn't miss him because I would far rather he was in the squad and available for selection, which he wasn't.[LNB]"He is obviously out for the weekend as well and I'm a much happier man when he is in the squad and in the team."[LNB]The win allowed Rangers to stretch their lead over Celtic to seven points at the summit of the SPL.[LNB]McCoist said: "Celtic have a game in hand and there are miles to go. I would have to say our league results and form have been good so, in that respect, it's a good place to be."[LNB]Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels was disappointed with the way his side conceded the goals after denying Rangers for more than an hour.[LNB]He said: "It's always disappointing when you lose. We went 1-0 down at a set-piece, then we hit the bar and they counter-attacked us and then it was 2-0. But that's football.[LNB]"They were bereft of ideas and didn't have the imagination in the final third so it was very disappointing to concede at the stage that we did."

Source: Team_Talk