Cantwell says Rangers gave fans a glimpse of the levels they can reach in 'difficult' PSV draw

Todd Cantwell believes Rangers showed the fans that they are heading in the right direction against PSV as the new-look side continues to gel under Michael Beale.

The English playmaker played a part in the 2-2 Champions League play-off first leg draw at Ibrox on Tuesday night and despite his frustrations at the goals conceded he insists it was a step towards the levels they can reach this season.

They will now travel to Eindhoven for next week’s second leg in hope of pulling off the same kind of result they got there last season when they knocked the Dutch side out to reach the group stages.

Abdallah Sima and Rabbi Matondo both scored to put the home side 1-0 and 2-1 up, but they were pegged back by goals from Ibrahim Sangare and Luuk De Jong to set up a winner takes all game in the Netherlands next Wednesday.

Speaking after the game Cantwell says that while the squad remains a work in progress they are now heading in the right direction.

He said: “It was a pretty difficult game, I think it was quite evenly matched. I think we had some good spells and they had some good spells.

“The manager and the players have been edging towards ‘give us more time and we’ll start to show what we want to show’ and I think tonight was a good step forward towards that.

“I think, to be at home and score two good goals, obviously to concede from a set piece is disappointing but overall I think it was reasonably good display from us.

“It’s a big frustration to concede in that manner and it’s something we’ve really held on to in the dressing room, like I say we did play well at times and we have a really big challenge next week but it is a bit frustrating to concede like that.”

Matondo was a late inclusion when he was called up to replace Ianis Hagi despite being initially left out of the European squad.

And he justified that decision when he came off the bench to score the third goal of the game that put Rangers 2-1 up before De Jong equalised four minutes later.

And Cantwell says that will do the Welsh winger, who has been a bit part player since arriving from Schalke a year ago, the world of good.

He said: “We scored from a good counter attack, and we spoke about that before, sometimes they leave themselves open and it’s nice to capitalise on something like that.

“A player like Rabbi has a good bit of speed and it wasn’t a bad finish either so to have him come on and score that it’s going to be great for him.

“You can tell there was something to hold on to out there tonight, I think we showed the fans exactly what it is we want to get to, albeit in spells and not for as long as we’d like but a team is not built over a couple of weeks, it needs a couple of months to marinate and show what we are about.