Barry Ferguson praises 'character and desire' of Rangers side after comeback win at Rugby Park.

Interim manager Barry Ferguson praised the character and desire of his Rangers side after they fought back from 2-0 down to win 4-2 at Rugby Park.

It was a nightmare start for the former Gers captain, who is in charge of the team until the end of the season, after Joe Wright and Brad Lyons had Kilmarnock two ahead in 14 minutes.

Vaclav Cerny pulled a goal back in the 35th minute before a Cyriel Dessers brace after the break and a late strike by substitute Nedim Bajrami made sure Ferguson got off to a winning start.

Ferguson, who was joined in the dugout by the new-look management team of Allan McGregor, Neil McCann, Billy Dodds and Issame Charai, admits “all sorts” were going through his head after 15 minutes but was pleased with his players’ response to rescue the game.

He said: “It wasn’t the start that I expected, what I demanded. But one thing I’ve got to give my players is credit, because it’s easy to fold.

“That’s been aimed at them all season. I spoke about character, about desire, and that’s one thing that they certainly showed me. I’ve got to give them praise for that.

“There’s a lot of things to work on, but when you come to a place like Kilmarnock, it’s never easy, it’s tough.“So for us to come back from 2-0 down, and what’s obviously been aimed at this group of players now for a number of months, I’m delighted for them but it’s only one game.

“We go back, we refocus, and it needs to be the same sort of performance, level of performance that we certainly showed in the second half.

“Some of the football we played at times was really good, but they showed a real desire, and that’s what my team is going to be all about from now until the end of the season.”

After what was his first game in charge since taking over from sacked Philippe Clement for the next three months, Ferguson also insisted he has no qualms about making tough decisions as he substituted defender Clinton Nsiala after half an hour.

He said: “Clinton’s a young player, he’s got huge potential, but it could have been a number of players.

“I’ve been brought here to do a job, I have to make some tough decisions at times.

“I’m not scared to make tough decisions, but it worked.

“But listen, Clinton, we’re going to work with him, we’re going to make him better, and he’ll learn from it.

“So it’s nothing against the young man, as I said, I think he’s got a bright, bright future in front of him. ”

McInnes believes his side got too excitable after going 2-0 up so early then missing a couple of good chances.

He said: “It shouldn’t be having to get three goals or four goals.

“I just thought we became a bit excitable in the game.

“We did everything I was hoping we would do in the first period that first 35 minutes.

“I loved the personality. I love the aggression of the team. I loved how we played the game.

“We took on an instruction. We unsettled Rangers and we made it the type of game that needed to be.

“But I just feel we get caught up in the game a bit and we’ve got a bit excitable.