Boyd injury adds to Rangers’ woes as Falkirk put paid to winning run

RANGERS manager Paul Le Guen was left fearing for the fitness of Kris Boyd after he limped away from a stunning defeat at the Falkirk Stadium on crutches.

The 23-year-old striker was forced out of the Bank of Scotland Premier League match a minute before half time following a bad challenge from behind by Kenny Milne.

With 39 goals last season, Boyd is Rangers’ most prolific goal-scorer. The Ibrox side need him more than ever after defeat at the hands of Falkirk put them back under pressure. Le Guen said: “I am worried because he seems to be suffering. He will have a test.”

Rangers were looking for their fourth consecutive SPL win after beating Dunfermline, Hearts and Kilmarnock. An extended run of victories could have put pressure on Celtic ahead of the Old Firm derby at Ibrox later in the month.

But Celtic’s win over Aberdeen yesterday means they lead at the top of the SPL by a staggering 16 points.

Le Guen added: “I am disappointed because of the result and the performance. “We had a good run of results and I expected better from the players. We had chances in the first half but we lacked efficiency and composure.

“We had many chances, crosses and set-pieces but we were not able to score. Then we conceded the goal and we became too nervous.

“I don’t want to speak about a lack of commitment — it was a lack of composure and efficiency. But I wonder if we want to score goals like our opponents.”

Le Guen refused to use the wet and windy conditions as an excuse for the defeat, with Falkirk’s goal coming from a 26th-minute Marc Twaddle header.

“The conditions were what they were,” he shrugged. “But it is difficult to play like usual in such conditions.”

Falkirk boss John Hughes had nothing but praise for his young players. He said: “I’m just so proud of them. They are still a young bunch and one or two of them still need to become leaders. But that comes with belief and they will get belief from that game.”

FALKIRK: Lambers, Ross, Twaddle, Barr, Milne, Latapy, Cregg, Lima, Craig, Gow, John Stewart (Dodd 84).

RANGERS: McGregor, Hutton, Papac (Buffel 59), Hemdani, Svensson, Ferguson, Clement, Adam, Novo, Prso (Sionko 83), Kris Boyd (Sebo 45).

Referee: S Dougal.