Glasgow: Rangers manager Stuart McCall praised his side’s determination after they carved out a 2-0 win over Hibernian in the first leg of their Scottish Premiership play-off semi-final.

Goals from Nicky Clark and Kenny Miller helped hand the Glasgow giants the advantage ahead of Saturday’s return leg at Easter Road as they battle it out to face Motherwell in the final.

McCall was full of praise for his players, who have come in for criticism this season after finishing in a disappointing third spot in the Scottish Championship.

“It’s only half-time, but I think the players deserve an enormous amount of credit for how they’ve turned themselves around,” said McCall, whose side are bidding to return to Scotland’s top flight after a three-year absence.

“We’ve had fingers pointed at us in the past, and rightly so, for losing easy goals and being a bit soft but tonight we earned our second consecutive clean sheet against Hibs.

“I thought at times we weren’t brilliant, but football can be won in many ways and tonight it was through sheer guts and determination.

“I think you could tell in the last 25 to 30 minutes who had been on the beach for a few days and who had been playing hard football because I thought our energy levels dropped but to a man they stuck in there.

“I made three substitutions but I could have made another four. Dean Shiels pulled out of training yesterday as he was ill. He got sent home and I didn’t expect him to be featuring tonight but he came in wanting to play.

“We’ve also had a couple with knocks and bruises — probably more than bruises if I’m honest — who were desperate to be involved and that shows the togetherness in that dressing room.

“We know there is still a lot of hard work to do but it puts us in a good position.”

Hibs, who suffered play-off agony last year when their defeat to Hamilton saw them relegated to the Championship, now face a tough task if they are to join city rivals Hearts in bouncing back to the Premiership at the first time of asking.

Manager Alan Stubbs expressed his disappointment at his side’s wastefulness in front of goal but saw enough from his players to feel they still have a chance of turning the tie around.

“For all our chances we didn’t work the keeper enough. We got in to some good areas and maybe rushed it a bit at times but I can’t fault how the players performed,” Stubbs said.

“Rangers took their chances when they came and when ours came we didn’t hit the target.

“The tie is far from over. The players are disappointed because they know they were in the game.

“I’ve been here a few times as a player and I’ve been here a few times as a manager and it’s a difficult place to come.”

— AFP