Saturday 6 August 2016 17:05, UK
Rangers boss Mark Warburton is praying his early-season plans have not been wrecked by an injury to Martyn Waghorn.
Last term's top scorer looked like he was ready to carry on where he left off when he drew the Ibrox side level against Hamilton on the opening day of the Ladbrokes Premiership campaign.
But he was forced off eight minutes from the end of the frustrating 1-1 draw with Accies after collapsing to the ground clutching his hamstring.
The 26-year-old striker has already hit four Betfred Cup goals this season, and Warburton is keeping his fingers crossed the problem does not turn out to be as bad as first feared.
"We will need to see how he is, but it looks like a hamstring injury," Warburton said. "He is being treated but we will need to see how he presents in the morning.
"Martyn is a goalscorer but you don't want to lose any player to injury. It's too early to tell how bad it is, though, so we will see (on Sunday)."
A 49,215-strong crowd packed into Ibrox to see the Light Blues finally reclaim their top-flight place after their four-year nightmare following the club's 2012 meltdown.
Ali Crawford swept Accies ahead after making the most of Niko Kranjcar's decision to dive in at the back post.
Gers had plenty of the ball but it took Harry Forrester's introduction after an hour to provide the spark they had been looking for.
Joey Barton won the ball in midfield and fed the former Doncaster playmaker, whose ball over the top was perfect for Waghorn to pounce on for the leveller.
Warburton acknowledged his team will need more of that quality in the coming months.
"We didn't have enough penetration in the first half," he said. "We had lots of ball and lots of passes but never really tested the 'keeper and looked a bit hesitant in the final third.
"We need to be braver with the final pass. We saw that with the goal. Joey wins it, outside of the foot from Harry and a good forward run from Martyn - goal.
"But there was never any doubt it was going to be tougher this year. The players know they are up against a better level of player. We said before the game they would come to frustrate, and they did. All credit to them. If they are going to sit in, we need to be clever."
Hamilton manager Martin Canning was delighted to be leaving Ibrox with a point.
He said: "Coming here was always going to be difficult, but to take something from the game was great.
"We worked so hard and I'm delighted to come away with a point. It was a fantastic strike from Ali. We've seen him do it time and time again last season. For him to do it on this stage was impressive. But, to a man, all my players deserve credit as they put so much effort in."
