GRAEME MURTY has called on Rangers to make Ibrox a ‘fortress’ once again after an embarrassing start to the season on home soil.

The Light Blues have won just two of their seven Premiership encounters in Govan this term and were beaten 2-0 by Hamilton at the weekend.

The defeat to Accies was the latest in a list of poor performances as Hibernian, Hearts, Celtic and Kilmarnock have all taken something from their trips to Ibrox.

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In contrast, just two points have been dropped on the road all season as Pedro Caixinha’s side were held by Partick Thistle at Firhill

Murty will take his side to Dens Park on Friday and can’t put his finger on why there is such a disparity between the Gers’ fortunes at home and away.

“Not really,” he said. “I think there is always an air of expectancy when we turn-up at Ibrox, as there should be.

“This is a massive club, but we are not going to read too much into this week. We could and should have won the game – we need to win the game and be more clinical.

“What we have to do is step-up when we are at home, and if our home record isn’t as good, then we need to go and move heaven and earth to make sure it becomes a fortress, and people coming to our place don’t relish it, don’t like it and walk out of the place feeling lower than we did on Saturday.”

The defeat to Accies was the first that Murty has suffered during his second spell as interim boss at Ibrox.

Now the pressure is on the Light Blues ahead of the meeting with Neil McCann’s side on Friday night as the countdown continues to the crucial double header with Aberdeen next week.

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Murty is set to take charge once again as the search continues for Caixinha’s successor and he reckons the response in training this week proves the Gers are determined to atone for a woeful display last time out.

“I think we have and there has been a definite edge to it,” he told RangersTV. “There are some hurt and angry players in there, which is good and is how it should be.

“There are some hurt and angry staff too, but I think it is important personally we don’t get too high when we get a success and we don’t get too low when we get a tough one to take.

“We just need to maintain our personal standards of preparation and performance, and the players definitely had a good response this week.

“You don’t have to motivate people who know they want to put things right, and that’s the vibe I have had from the players.”