Rangers head coach Danny Rohl hails win over Kilmarnock as ‘small step’ after Europa League setback

Danny Rohl believed Rangers’ 3-1 home William Hill Premiership win over Kilmarnock was no more than a “small step” in the rehabilitation of the Ibrox club.

The 36-year-old was installed as Russell Martin’s successor last Monday and on Thursday watched his new charges slump to a 3-0 Europa League defeat away to Brann, but his first game in Govan was more encouraging.

Centre-back Derek Cornelius scored his first Gers goal with a header in the 15th minute only for George Stanger to level matters – seven minutes before the break – after a mistake by home goalkeeper Jack Butland from a corner.

Brazil forward Danilo restored the Gers’ lead with a header in the 55th minute and, with less than 20 minutes remaining, substitute Youssef Chermiti notched his first Rangers goal since his move from Everton in the summer for a reported fee of £8.5million.

It was only a second league win of the season for Rangers and it moved them into fifth place, 13 points off leaders Hearts and five behind Celtic, ahead of the trip to Hibernian in midweek and their Premier Sports Cup semi-final against the Hoops at Hampden Park next Sunday.

“I must say I really enjoyed our performance,” said the former Sheffield Wednesday boss. “Everything was not perfect but it was a good step forward.

“(A) first win is always important for the group to create the confidence.

“I saw much more good things. Thursday was a big disappointment, not just the tactical part but how we played with intensity.

“Today it was much better. It is a small step in our journey, we know where we want to go.

“It helps to lift the confidence of the group and for me, it was important to see a team on the pitch who was working hard, ready to go.

“I saw some good individual steps forward.

“All in all, I’m happy. I know we still have to improve a lot of things, it’s not more than three points. You have to win this game if you want to do more: we did and now we go forward.

“On Monday, we’ll watch the game back, we’ll show them what was good and what we have to improve and then I want to see again the next step on Wednesday.”

Kilmarnock boss Stuart Kettlewell backed inexperienced back-up goalkeeper Eddie Beach to bounce back from a tough afternoon.

The 22-year-old, signed from Chelsea in the summer, was in net for only the second time in the league as he replaced Max Stryjek, who is out with an unspecified health issue.

Beach made a poor attempt at stopping Chermiti’s drive after a let off in the first half when his clearance bizarrely bounced off the back of Cornelius and fell kindly to Gers striker Bojan Miovski ,who put the ball in the net, only to be ruled offside.

Kettlewell, who revealed there was genuine anger in the dressing room afterwards about all three goals conceded, said: “You’re not going to lock yourself up in a room and feel sorry for yourself.

“He’s a big personality, a confident lad. He’s made a couple of errors and one he’s punished for.

“He has to pick himself back up and he will. But you have to understand that if you make errors, you’re going to be hurt at this level.”