Rangers boss Danny Rohl admitted his team simply are not good enough to win the league title this season after losing to Hearts at Tynecastle.
Leading 1-0 at half-time, Rohl’s side collapsed in the second half as Hearts came roaring back to win 2-1 and take another huge step towards glory.
It was another hammer blow for Rangers. Back-to-back defeats against Motherwell and Hearts now leaves them seven points adrift of Hearts with only three games to play.
Should Hearts win at Motherwell on Saturday night, Rangers would be mathematically out of the title race by the time they face Celtic at Parkhead the following day.
Rohl, who had acknowledged the necessity to win this match, admitted his team simply are not good enough to finish as champions.
Asked about the impact the defeat has on Rangers’ title hopes, he replied: ‘Yeah, a big one. I think there’s no question.
Danny Rohl was frustrated to see his Rangers team perform at their best for only half the game
Stephen Kingsley celebrates his equaliser as Rangers skipper James Tavernier looks on
Lawrence Shankland secures all three points for Hearts with a brilliant winner at Tynecastle
‘We’re in a really difficult situation now. I think we worked so hard to come so close in the last two games.
‘It’s not enough when you play just one half on your best level. I think this is what we have to take, and this is also what I demand in the next three games.
‘I think there’s no question, we have to show courage, and this is what I expect and demand of my players in the next three games, to take three fantastic results.
‘This is more for me what I take from this season, and to know exactly what we have to do better in the next season.
‘I see a lot of improvements, but it is finally maybe not good enough to win the title this year.
‘We have still nine points for play, this is what we have to do, and from this moment I push them again in the right direction.’
Seeking to become the first away team to win at Tynecastle in the league this season, Rangers were the dominant team in the first half and led 1-0 thanks to a goal from Dujon Sterling.
But, in what has become a recurring theme over recent months, they capitulated and squandered a terrific opportunity to drag themselves back into the title race.
Rohl rejected the notion that his players lack the necessary mental strength to handle the pressure of a title race.
He also claimed that Hearts’ comeback was based around a more direct approach, despite the fact Derek McInnes introduced an extra midfielder at half-time and played more through the lines.
‘First, we played a strong first half and deserved to lead,’ said the Rangers boss. ‘I think we could’ve created more chances. Second half, this is football.
‘We knew they would come with power, and they did. They played much, much more directly in behind, and we had less pressure on the ball. Hearts did Hearts things.
‘They dominated the second half with Hearts football. This is what we expected. We should be really angry that we allow the opponent back.
‘This is what we have to learn very soon, very quick, to make the next step.
‘Our positioning and how we want to defend in these two situations, especially the second goal, you should never concede such a goal in this area.
‘That’s what we have to improve in this area. This is not about mentality. I think everyone who plays football knows what happens if the home team get an equaliser, the crowd is there.’
