Steven Gerrard admits Rangers are still failing to hit last season’s lofty standards after Motherwell wrecked their flag day celebrations.
Chairman Douglas Park raised the banner hailing last term’s historic title triumph before kick-off.
But Gerrard’s team couldn’t do their part to mark the occasion as they failed to pull clear of Graham Alexander’s Well side despite dominating the opening half.
Fashion Sakala fired his first goal for the club but it was cancelled out midway through the second period as Kaiyne Woolery pounced to fire home after Jack Simpson failed to read the danger.
Gers remain top of the Premiership by a point but missed the chance to stretch that advantage to three and Gerrard could not hide his disappointment.
He said: “It’s two points dropped. We were in control for a lot of the game and box-to-box we were outstanding at times, but you have got to go and reward yourself for all the good play and unfortunately our quality, once we got into the final third, wasn’t there.
“We scored one good goal, but for me that was a 3-0 or 4-0 game if we go and reward ourselves for all our good play.
“It feels pretty frustrating at the moment. I thought at times we were vulnerable and at 1-0 you always leave yourself wide open to drop points.
“We have got to defend situations better. We got a lot of praise last year for clean sheets and being really tough to play against, but their goal has come from us being a little bit flaky.
“We could have got out wide quicker, we could have dealt with that situation. And unfortunately we concede a goal on the back of that and that is where the frustration comes in.
“If you look at the 90 minutes, we have created a lot of chances, we have got to the final third so many times, but we haven’t rewarded ourselves for that good play.”
Well had to do it the hard way after being denied an away ticket allocation.
But the Lanarkshire outfit did not disappoint the 200 band of Steelmen supporters who gathered at Fir Park to roar them off on their way to Ibrox.
Alexander – who felt Sakala had headed Gers in front from an offside position – said: “We had no backing here unfortunately but the supporters gave us a great send-off when we left the ground so we knew they were with us.
“We didn’t know they were going to be there but it was brilliant for us to see them. It was unfortunate none of them could be here today so that one was for them.
“The atmosphere was tough and it was hostile. We had to play against many opponents today, but you saw our players. They were backing each other, supporting each other and we knew we had that support back in Motherwell.
“My players deserve immense credit for coming here on a massive day, going 1-0 down to the champions and coming back to earn something from the game.
“And it was a deserved point at least. But we have to put it to bed and go next week.”
Well sit fourth having backed up a hat-trick of wins over Livi, Dundee and Aberdeen with an impressive point in Govan.
Alexander added: “It’s about the points total and momentum and belief and confidence in what is quite a new squad.
“The more they work together and the more points they earn, they more they believe in each other and that’s what we have seen. But we can’t get carried away with ourselves and we have to understand the challenges come thick and fast every week.”
