Football: Rangers boss hails 'first-class' Dodoo

GLASGOW: A relieved Mark Warburton said he was delighted with the contribution of Joe Dodoo as the substitute bagged a late double to earn Rangers a 2-1 win over Partick Thistle at Firhill on Saturday.

Struggling Thistle looked to be on their way to their first win over their Glasgow rivals for 23 years when Kris Doolan grabbed a 76th-minute opener.

However, Dodoo fired in a sensational 81st-minute leveller for his first league goal for Rangers.

Then with time running out the English striker snatched a dramatic winner in the fourth minute of stoppage time to claim the three points for the Ibrox club.

Dodoo has struggled to make an impact at Ibrox since his summer move from Leicester City but his manager praised the 21-year-old's attitude.

"I am delighted for him. He works so hard and is a first-class professional," Warburton said.

"He's first in every morning and last out every day, and he does a lot of work on his finishing both left and right foot. He goes and does stuff on his own too and he is a very, very good young professional.

"I am delighted for him -- he's been patient and he's knocked on the door as he should do, he wants his chance and he got it today and took it.

"He was asked to make a difference and he certainly did that."

Rangers' win, only their third away from home this season, moves them up to second in the Scottish Premiership where they trail Celtic, who face Aberdeen in tomorrow's League Cup final, by eight points having played two games more.

The Gers have dropped points in seven of their 14 league matches this season and Warburton, while happy with the commitment of his players, was disappointed with aspects of their performance.

"Credit to the players. They fought to the end like last week," Warburton, whose side also needed a stoppage-time winner to defeat Dundee last weekend, said.

"Their energy, their work ethic, their commitment and their desire were there for all to see.

"But we were disappointed in the first half. We didn't do what we do well which is to move the ball smartly and quickly.

"We were too deep and gave the opposition too much space. We knew what we wanted to do and we came out in the second half much better and a couple of gears up.

"But we must take our chances. We didn't do it so well and we went 1-0 down with 15 minutes to go so of course you look at it and think we might drop three valuable points.

"But when we do what we do well we are a decent team. Their focus was there right to the final whistle and in the end they got their rewards."