GRAEME MURTY lamented the ‘schoolboy’ defending that cost Rangers dear as they suffered another Old Firm defeat at Ibrox.

The Light Blues saw their chances of a late bid for the Premiership title ended on Sunday as Celtic ran out 3-2 winners in a thrilling derby clash.

Josh Windass and Daniel Candeais twice had the Gers ahead but goals from Tom Rogic, Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard clinched the points for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

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Rangers didn’t make the most of the red card shown to Jozo Simunovic in the second half and boss Murty reckons it was a golden chance blown by his side.

He said: “I have just told the players in the changing room that they will never have a better opportunity to go and win the game.

“We have let that opportunity go away by not being very good at the basics and conceding three really poor goals.

“We started really well and the stadium is rocking after we score a goal but I thought after they scored their goals, which was poor from us, we didn’t get our composure back for 15, 20 minutes.

“We go ahead again and then the momentum really changes on the second goal, which is a basic error, schoolboy defending.

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“Those [chances] are the margins you are looking at in these kind of games. They manage to take theirs, we didn’t unfortunately and we are sat here rueing that.”

Rangers went into the third derby clash of the campaign in high spirits after an impressive recent run but were left to wonder what might have been at Ibrox.

It is the race for second spot in the standings that will now be their focus in the remaining Premiership fixtures this term.

And Murty was frustrated that his side failed to perform when it mattered most as Rangers suffered another costly defeat.

He said: “It is the hardest one so far because you are excited with the emotion of the game, you are excited with some of the play, not all of it, and you have got a real good opportunity.

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“I just thought that we squandered a really good chance to apply some pressure. I have said to the players, those are the margins at the top, top level.

“You can’t afford to give good players space and time cause they will hurt you and I thought they showed that very well.

“We were too slow in possession, we didn’t look like us at that time. Too many touches, too straight, too easy to defend and we didn’t shift the ball quickly or well enough to play through them.

“I thought the only time we did that we played into their box with quality and good tempo and we get the opportunity for Alfredo for five or six yards, which we should take.

“But we tried to apply pressure by lumping crosses into the box, which isn’t us and isn’t how we have looked. We have to learn from that and be braver in the final third.”

The defeat to Celtic was the first that Murty has suffered in the dugout after earning two draws at Parkhead during his stints as caretaker manager.

And he is determined to pick his players up at the first attempt as Rangers look to get back on track as quickly as possible.

Murty said: “We had a great opportunity and we haven’t taken it and every single supporter walking away from here will be as down as me.

“But the difference is I have got an opportunity to do something about it Monday morning and make sure that group of players don’t stay in the doldrums too long.”