Saturday 19 September 2015 19:04, UK
Rangers manager Mark Warburton admitted his side were below par in the first half of their 2-1 win over Dumbarton.
The Championship leaders encountered some stubborn resistance from their part-time opponents at the Rock and it took them 64 minutes to break the deadlock when Martyn Waghorn struck.
Waghorn added a second goal from the penalty spot nine minutes later after Gregor Buchanan was dismissed for a last man foul on Kenny Miller, although the hosts did pull a goal back through a last-minute penalty from Garry Fleming.
Warburton, whose side are now seven points clear at the summit following seven successive wins, was pleased to get another three points but conceded his team did not hit the heights he has come to expect in the first period.
He said: "I think in the first half we had to take more care in the final third, we lost our shape a little bit which we spoke about at half-time.
"But it is a tough place to come, they work very hard and are well organised. We were very respectful of that and knew the threat they posed but we got the reward in the end.
"I think you are seeing teams coming in very solid and central to stop us passing through and splitting units which you would expect.
"We have to be brighter and quicker. If we take more care with the ball in the final third we will keep hurting teams.
"If we are loose and slack with the final pass then we won't be as effective."
Dumbarton manager Stevie Aitken said: "In the first half we restricted them to one shot on goal and we hit the post.
"I thought the players competed really well, the difference is we just switched off for the first goal and made a bad mistake for the second which ultimately cost us the game.
"But the players can be happy with their effort, they gave a good account of themselves."
