Mark Warburton pleased with Rangers response in 4-0 win over Dumbarton

Mark Warburton was pleased to see his half-time team talk have the desired effect as four second-half goals saw Rangers eventually ease past Dumbarton 4-0 and go three points clear at the top of the Ladbrokes Championship.

An uninspiring first half was followed by a much-improved showing from the home side, who led two minutes after the delayed restart courtesy of Jason Holt's header. 

Martyn Waghorn hammered in number two on the hour-mark and the home side took further advantage of their game in hand over second-placed Hibernian when substitute Nathan Oduwa, on loan from Tottenham, added a third in the 80th minute.

Andy Halliday then hammered in a penalty after Dumbarton defender Steven Saunders was given a straight red card for denying Gers skipper Lee Wallace a clear goalscoring opportunity.

"We had a few words as a group (at half-time) because in the first half, despite lots of possession, we weren't good enough," said Warburton.

"We were loose, took too many touches, didn't move it quickly enough and didn't show the quality that we have to demand from a group day in, day out.

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"So we had the words, came out and Jason Holt used the term 'night and day' and I think he was pretty accurate with that.

"In the second half we were excellent. We created chance after chance, got the four goals and could have got more.

"It is very pleasing. Davie [Weir, assistant manager] and I want the group to demand from themselves and solve problems on the pitch.

"We should have realised after 20, 25 minutes what we needed to do, but you won't find a more honest and hard-working group and the quality is evident - you saw that in the second half."

Warburton was asked again about the vacant managerial post at Sky Bet Championship club Fulham, to which he has been linked.

"I can't keep saying it," he said.

"I am the manager of Rangers Football Club. We have developed staff, brought staff in and we are in the middle of a project so I can't keep answering the same question."

Sons boss Stephen Aitken praised his players for their efforts, saying: "Ultimately the big difference between the full-time and part-time showed.

"It's not easy with most of the guys working, doing 10-hour shifts today.

"I can't fault my players for effort. They gave everything they had and put that much into the first half that, unfortunately, they tired in the second half."

The start to the second half was delayed for the best part of 10 minutes as some fans were moved from the bottom half of the Sandy Jardine Stand to the family stand due to "fabric" issues.

A spokesman for Rangers said: "Some fans in the Sandy Jardine Stand, section GF4, were relocated to the Broomloan Stand as a precautionary measure when safety staff at the stadium identified a loose piece of roofing fabric."