RUSSELL MARTIN was devastated after Rangers failed to get a reaction to their Old Firm defeat in the loss to Kilmarnock on Saturday.

The light blues were determined to make amends to their supporters after the pain of last weekend’s defeat to Celtic, but they instead produced a disappointing display as Kilmarnock maintained their unbeaten record against Rangers this season.

“We spoke about the importance of getting a reaction after that and starting with a high tempo, making sure we got off to a good start and give the crowd a reason to get behind us,” Martin said. “We never did it.

“We’re responsible for that, and it’s the first time in a long time that it’s happened.

“We’ve got two weeks now to put that right, because other teams are going to come here and do the same.

“Hearts came here and set up in a similar way, but we managed to score early and it’s a different game, because they had to open up then.

“If you don’t score early against a team that plays that way, and I’m not saying it’s the right or the wrong way to play because it works for them, but it gives them something to cling onto and a bit of hope that they might nick something.”

Martin was at a loss to explain why Rangers were so flat on the day.

“It just felt like one of those games where we just needed something, and we didn’t get it,” he said.

“We should have come out at the start of the second half with a high tempo, moving it quicker, and that was the plan, that was what we had spoken about at half-time.

“The game doesn’t always go according to plan though, and we probably let it be a little bit bitty and a bit stop-start with niggly fouls. We gave away some stupid fouls too, which comes from that frustration and that angst to do well.

“It breaks the game up, and we didn’t really get into any rhythm, and that was symptomatic of that first 10 minutes of the second half.

“They get their goal, we have to open up, and they are dangerous on the counter attack. They did it a few times and caused us a few issues because we have so many men committed chasing a goal.

“After that, it became difficult.”