Dundee boss James McPake was pleased with his players despite losing 3-0 to Rangers at Ibrox in yesterday’s Premiership clash – and admits his side were “debating” whether they should have had a penalty while 2-0 down.
The Dens Park side travelled to Ibrox after back-to-back wins over Motherwell and St Johnstone and McPake was happy with the effort his side put in, even if he thinks the Rangers goals were “avoidable.”
Despite Rangers having 25 attempts at goal and the lion’s share of possession, McPake thinks his Dundee side stayed with the champions for much of the game, insisting they couldn’t have given him any more yesterday afternoon.
“It was a tough game. Rangers are the champions and it’s a tough place to come to,” McPake said.
“I don’t think in terms of effort and workrate I could ask any more of my players. The goals we lost are avoidable. I felt they were very unlucky.
“Adam Legzdins is saving the first one easily but Liam Fontaine does the right thing trying to block it. That’s what you ask defenders to do and then the second one Ryan Sweeney has to deal with a helluva cross.
“You hope you miskick it and it goes over the bar when it comes in with that pace.
“Then at the third goal the ball ricochets off about four people and Alfredo Morelos has a tap in.
“Credit to Rangers – they had other chances and Adam pulled off some big saves.
“Our own big chance came at 2-0 with Paul McMullan, and Allan McGregor pulled off a great save. Paul was unlucky and the boys are debating whether it’s a penalty.
“If that goes in, you never know but we stayed in the game for a while and the shape was good.
“The players are disappointed but they couldn’t have given me any more.”
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