Mark Warburton happy with how players responded to criticism

Mark Warburton claims his Rangers side gave the perfect response to their doubters with their 4-2 win over title rivals Hibernian.

The Ibrox men have won just three times since losing at Easter Road at the start of November but looked back to their best as they responded in style.

Warburton has been stung by the criticism his side have received in the wake of the wobble which allowed Alan Stubbs' men to draw level at the top of the Championship.

But they have now regained control of the promotion race after taking a three-point lead.

Jason Cummings fired his 15th goal of the season to put Hibs ahead but Jason Holt's brace put Gers ahead at the break.

Nicky Clark fired a third while Dominique Malonga gave Hibs brief hope before Martyn Waghorn finished off the Leith men's 17-game unbeaten run with the fourth in stoppage time.

Warburton - whose side finished with 10 men after Andy Halliday was harshly sent-off - said: I felt the first goal went against the run of play but it was a great response from the boys.

There's been a few comments about our team. We lack a spine I was told by a certain outlet during the week.

Well I think we answered all the questions today, without a doubt.''

Stubbs tried to heap pressure on Gers with a string of targeted comments in the build-up to the match but Warburton was pleased to see his team do their talking on the pitch.

From our point of view we were quiet,'' he said.

The focus has to be on Rangers. We knew Hibs are a very strong opponent who had been on a good run of form. But I thought we delivered a very good performance to get the three points.

There was no extra motivation. When you've got 50,000 people here there is no need for motivation. We had a responsibility to perform here. It's a mini-crisis when we draw a game. But sometimes the ball doesn't drop your way.

The last two games we didn't deserve to drop points but we more than answered those questions today.''

Cummings punished Rangers when a Liam Henderson shot broke his way after 23 minutes. But Gers refused to buckle and levelled after 34 minutes when Holt slotted past Mark Oxley.

The former Hearts man then grabbed his fifth goal in six games when his deflected strike two minutes before the break skipped past the wrong-footed keeper.

Clark finished off a tidy cross from Dean Shiels on the hour mark as Gers closed in on victory but the Light Blues were put on the back foot when Bobby Madden flashed red at Halliday.

He reacted angrily to a Fraser Fyvie trip but he was guilty of nothing more than a shoulder bump to the Hibs man's chest.

Fyvie, though, immediately clutched his face and Warburton says Gers will appeal the dismissal, saying: I've just seen it but I've got to be careful with what I say. We'll go through the due process on it. Our decision is very clear.''

Malonga scrambled home a header late on but there was no comeback as Waghorn drove in from the right to beat Oxley again.

Stubbs was not prepared to accept his attempts at mind games had fired up his side's opponents, though.

I can't speak about other teams,'' he said with a wry grin.I'll just speak about my own team.

I think we will respond to this.

We could have done better with at least two of the goals today but congratulations to Rangers. They won, but just as we spoke about before the game, it's just another three points.

Now we move on. Today is not going to affect us. We've done fantastically - 17 games unbeaten.

This was going to happen eventually but I can assure you it is not going to affect us. There is a long way to go.''