YOU can only beat what is put in front of you, only score against the sides that are out to stop you.

It is what Rangers and Martyn Waghorn have done more often than not this season.

Victory for Mark Warburton’s side over Morton tonight would put them five points clear of Hibernian in the Championship title race and see the Gers take another step towards a top-flight return.

If they are successful in achieving that aim this season, there will be few contributions to the cause that are greater than that of Waghorn.

The striker has scored 27 goals in 28 games for Rangers this term and, having set out aiming to break through the 20 barrier in the summer, he could now end the campaign with double that tally to his credit.

His prolific scoring run has been key to Rangers in recent months but it is not just goals that the former Sunderland and Leicester City striker provides to Warburton’s side.

It hasn’t taken long for Waghorn to repay Warburton’s faith in him and become a firm favourite with the Light Blues crowd as he has made a superb start to life in Scottish football.

Jonatan Johansson has witnessed the 26-year-old in action at close hand this term as he has returned to Ibrox to watch the Gers, and the former Finland forward has been impressed by what he has seen so far.

Johansson said: “First of all, you have to give credit to the manager and scouting team for identifying Martyn and bringing him in.

“He can play on the wings and sometimes strikers don’t like that, they want to play through the middle.

"But he can play across the front line, he works hard and he suits the way Rangers play really well.

“That is obviously something the manager was looking for. He is very difficult to mark as well.

“You can only play where you are playing and against your opponent on the day.

“The Championship is a tough league, Hibs and Falkirk have done great this year and it is a very competitive league.

“I am sure if Rangers go up and they can create as many chances in the Premiership that Martyn would be able to score as many goals.”

Boss Warburton has always been confident that a sustained run of games would allow Waghorn to fully showcase his talents and embark on the kind of scoring run he is on at present.

That belief has proven to be well founded, with the striker able to set his sights on finishing his first campaign in Scottish football as the top scorer in the country this term.

If Rangers are to go on and win the Championship, the onus will be on Waghorn to continue finding the net on as regular a basis as he is at present.

And Johansson insists there is no reason why the Englishman can’t keep up his current rate as he plays his part in a free-flowing and goal laden Gers forward line.

“The way Rangers are playing now, it is possible he will get to 40 goals,” he said.

“It is a big target and the main thing for him and the team is to keep playing well. But Rangers are creating so many chances and they are scoring freely.

“Martyn’s confidence level is clearly very high and the way he took his second goal against Livingston shows that, it was a very composed and very good finish. The team is playing well and he is on top form, so who knows how many he can get?

“You don’t think too much about it, you just go and play and you know you are going to get chances.

“You have to be confident and when strikers start thinking about it or worrying if they will get a chance to score, that is when you don’t get goals.

“He just goes on the pitch to play football and enjoy his game and he knows that the chances will come.”

If Waghorn can fire Rangers to the Championship crown this term, it will be a moment to savour for Warburton and his squad and one of celebration and relief for the Ibrox crowd.

The journey back to Scotland’s top tier has been a longer one than expected but the finishing line is in sight for Rangers as they bid to take another step on the road to recovery.

Johansson spent three seasons at Ibrox after moving to Scotland from FC Flora in 1997 and also had spells here with Hibernian and St Johnstone later in his career.

And the 40-year-old is enjoying being back on his old stomping ground this term as Warburton’s side finally give the Light Blue legions something to cheer.

Johansson said: “What I really like about going back to watch the games, obviously the results have been good, but it is the feeling around Ibrox.

“Everybody is looking forward to the future and looking forward to the challenge. It is an interesting and competitive league this year and the fans like the challenge.

“The positive feeling around the club again is great to experience.

“Rangers fans are amazing and they always have been. Of course, the unrest over the last few years was always going to affect the numbers in the stands.

“The crowds now are an indicator that there is a positivity around the club and the fans are really enjoying coming to the games. They are turning up in their numbers again and it has been amazing to see.”