Rangers 2-3 Celtic: Greg Docherty shares Graeme Murty’s reaction at full time

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Rangers lost 3-2 to Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon.

Rangers midfielder Greg Docherty has told The Herald that Graeme Murty delivered ‘harsh words’ after the 3-2 home defeat to Celtic on Sunday afternoon.

The Gers had been in scintillating form in 2018, as nine wins from ten games in all competitions had given fans real hope of challenging Celtic for the Scottish Premiership title under Graeme Murty.

Rangers met Celtic at Ibrox on Sunday afternoon, and a frantic first half started perfectly for the hosts when Josh Windass robbed Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata and sprinted clear before smashing a superb finish into the net.

Tom Rogic bagged a sublime long-range equaliser, and after Daniel Candeias had put Rangers back in front from Declan John’s cross, one long ball from Scott Brown handed Moussa Dembele a simple chance to make it 2-2.

Jozo Simunovic was handed a straight red card for a bizarre elbow on Alfreod Moelos, but Rangers couldn’t capitalise, and ultimately paid as Odsonne Edouard snatched a winner for the Bhoys.

Celtic are now edging towards the Scottish Premiership title once again, and Rangers will be hugely disappointed have squandered such a golden chance to beat their rivals and launch a real title push.

After the final whistle, midfielder Greg Docherty – who joined from Hamilton in January – told The Herald that interim manager Murty offered ‘harsh’ words to his players having been unable to see out the game when Celtic went down to 10 men.

Docherty admitted that it was a real chance to beat Celtic, and it’s ‘extremely tough’ to take this Old Firm defeat, noting that everybody was disappointed in the dressing room after the game having taken the lead twice and lost.

“The manager delivered a few harsh words towards the group and that’s right,” said Docherty. “We know as players that it was a chance. Losing an Old Firm game is never nice and that leaves a sour taste. It’s extremely tough to take with a man advantage. For some reason we seemed to slow down [after they went to ten men] and that’s the disappointing thing.”

“We should also be dealing with their second and third goal better – so it’s a very disappointing dressing room. We should have made more of our chances as well but when you take the lead twice at home then you expect to get three points or a point minimum. End of story. It’s a big chance gone – we were ahead twice and got nothing. Sometimes football is like that and we’re just going to have to pick ourselves up,” he added.