Falkirk 2-1 Rangers: Mark Warburton's side remain top in the Championship - but only just - ahead of Hibs showdown

Having made the trip to Easter Road last month knowing that victory would put his side 11 points clear in the Championship title race, Rangers will go into the New Year second in the standings should Hibernian win at Ibrox in seven days’ time.

Draws with Livingston and Morton allowed Alan Stubbs’ side to manoeuvre themselves to within touching distance of the Light Blues and Saturday’s win over Queen of the South saw them move level on points as Rangers faltered at Falkirk.

After a superb start to the season that saw Warburton’s side win their first 11 league fixtures, ten points have now been dropped in their last six games. It is not the form of champions.

Performance levels have dipped considerably in recent weeks, with Rangers’ play too often becoming predictable and at times lethargic. As defensive mistakes have crept back in and chances have been squandered, the league leaders have paid the price.

The Gers remain in pole position in the title race, but their form is a concern for supporters who had hoped, and many had expected, their side to be in a position to be looking towards a Premiership campaign next term rather than peering anxiously over their shoulders at this stage.

Rangers could have taken a point on Saturday had they converted one of the handful of chances they carved out – the best of which was Martyn Waghorn’s late penalty after another controversial Willie Collum call – but they could also have lost more heavily.

The Gers, as usual, dominated possession but, like on so many occasions recently, they didn’t assert their authority over their opponents in the manner they did in the opening weeks of the campaign.

The visit of Hibernian next Monday is not just a chance for Rangers to move three points clear, it is an opportunity to lay down another marker in this title battle. They have not been good enough for several weeks now and it is Hibs who have a spring in their step at present.

There will be no over-reaction inside the walls of Murray Park this week from Warburton or his players but they must now thrive under the pressure and expectation that will come from the stands at Ibrox.

“We are still top of the league aren’t we? I am being polite, because I know the negativity that will come,” Warburton said.

“We will feed off of that. The more negative the headlines are, the more we will feed it.

“We are top of the league. We are learning from that. We are disappointed the gap is not bigger.”

The immediate aftermath of Saturday’s defeat focused on referee Collum but the attentions from Warburton will shift onto his side, the positives and the negatives, as one of the most anticipated games of the campaign to date draws ever nearer.

The Ibrox boss was right to be annoyed and angry with Collum at Westfield, but the shocking call to award the Bairns an early penalty was only part of Rangers’ problems as Peter Houston’s side emerged victorious from an action packed encounter.

The decision to award Falkirk a spot kick for Danny Wilson’s foul on Will Vaulks was bizarre, unexplainable, as Collum added another calamity to his charge sheet. The whistler didn’t cost Rangers the game, though.

Having pulled themselves level through Barrie McKay, the winger finding the bottom corner of Danny Rogers’ goal with a neat finish after 15 minutes, Rangers had the platform to go on and take all three points.

They never looked convincing at the back, though, and were slack in the final third as Falkirk stood firm before Rogers tipped Waghorn’s penalty onto the post in the dying seconds.

The numbers may have provided some source of encouragement for Warburton, but the score line was the one that mattered most as his side slipped up once again.

“I have seen the stats, but stats don’t tell you a lot if you can’t hurt teams,” Warburton said.

“We have to hurt teams. We have got to be more clinical and take advantage of the possession.

“When you have a game away from home on a difficult surface, have 70% possession, 15 corners, 10 shots, etc., you have got to go away with points.

“You have to. We are disappointed with that.

“No doubt there will be a lot of negativity. We know how good the team is, know how strong the squad is and we will feed off of that.”

It is not just Warburton and his players that know what Rangers are capable of and the levels they are able to reach. It was clear to all observers in the opening few weeks, and it makes their recent stumble all the more frustrating for supporters.

When the spotlight has shone brightest on Rangers this season – on Saturday, at Easter Road and in the League Cup defeat to St Johnstone – Warburton’s side have faded rather than lit up the big stage.

The showdown with Hibs is another huge test for Rangers. It won’t make or break their promotion bid, but it is an examination the home crowd will demand the Light Blues pass.

“It is a sell-out Ibrox. We have a responsibility and we will enjoy that and look forward to it,” Warburton said.

“It is a good grass surface and a very expectant crowd. We will look forward to that game.”

If Rangers can emerge victorious next Monday, they will still have a clear path between themselves and the Premiership, but Hibs will remain in sight and in mind.

It was the defeat in Leith that was the catalyst for Rangers’ troubles, now Warburton will hope a win at Ibrox will provide the spark his side needs to get their season back on track.