Smith aims for top spot as Rangers hit their stride
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Your support makes all the difference.Walter Smith, the Rangers manager, felt Saturday's comfortable 3-0 Scottish Premier League victory over St Johnstone was further evidence of his team's improving form. Smith has been more satisfied with domestic performances over the past month and is optimistic that Rangers can thrive without the distraction of European football.
Kris Boyd took only 30 seconds to open the scoring when he slotted home after Graham Gartland had gifted possession to DaMarcus Beasley. Boyd converted a 27th-minute penalty before Nacho Novo finished off a counter-attack in the second half.
Smith said: "I think in the last month or so we're doing better now than we have done, domestically speaking, since the start of the season. We're creating far more opportunities and looking sharper."
Rangers can leapfrog Celtic at the top of the SPL tomorrow if they win their rearranged match against Dundee United at Tannadice, and Smith is looking forward to continued improvement: "We would much rather be playing European football in the second half of the season but we're not. It clears it up for us. I hope we can go on and show the form we did in the second half of last season, which was excellent."
One man anticipating the second part of the campaign at Ibrox is right-back Kirk Broadfoot, who returned from a nine-month absence to play his part in the victory over St Johnstone.
While Smith was delighted with his side's display, there was no doubt that they were given a huge helping hand by Saints. Boyd's second goal also came courtesy of sloppy defending, with Novo brought down by goalkeeper Graeme Smith after an under-hit back-pass from Steven Anderson.
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