Jordan Rossiter helps Rangers land first win 'in third gear'

Rangers kick-started their Ladbrokes Premiership title drive at Dundee on Saturday but Jordan Rossiter insists they are still to hit top gear.

Mark Warburton's side were held to a frustrating draw on the opening day of the top-flight campaign last week but picked up a valuable 2-1 win at Dens Park on Saturday.

Harry Forrester and Kenny Miller put the Light Blues two goals ahead against Paul Hartley's men, and Rangers had chances to extend their lead.

But when they failed to take them, that allowed the Dark Blues back into the contest and Mark O'Hara took his opportunity to head home from a corner late in the first half.

That made the second period a much closer affair than Rangers manager Warburton would have liked but his side gritted their teeth to get the job done.

However, summer signing Rossiter believes his new side are still getting to know each other and will only get better.

The midfielder said: I thought we shifted the ball about well in the first half although I thought we were in third gear and still have fourth and fifth gear to come.

As the season goes on and the games roll in I think we'll improve. We have Motherwell next week and then Kilmarnock away so I feel we have more gears to go and I'm sure we'll reach them.''

Rossiter, 19, arrived from Liverpool at the end of May and the teenager has now started Rangers' last two games after he was also given the nod by Warburton for the midweek Betfred Cup romp against Peterhead.

But the England Under-19 battler is refusing to take his slot for granted.

I've come here to play as many minutes as I can,'' he said.I know it's going to be tough with the competition we've got in our dressing room.

But you want to be playing in front of fans like that every week. I thought the away following on Saturday was brilliant.

I know I need to take it day by day, though. I need to keep improving and there is a long way to go.''

Dundee made life tough for Rangers but lacked the spark that Kane Hemmings and Greg Stewart used to provide.

The strike duo provided 36 goals to the Dee cause last year but have now been tempted south after winning moves to Oxford and Birmingham.

Captain Darren O'Dea believes his team can cope without the pair but admits they will have to change their approach.

To cope without them the team will change a little bit,'' said the Irishman.It's very hard to replace the two of them with individuals, it's more of a team, collective thing and I think we have done that in the first two games.

We will maybe alter our style a tiny bit and the manager, with time to go, will probably look to bring a couple more in.

As a team we are fit and strong, we have plenty of legs and that will help. Collectively we will replace them rather than any individual.''