GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST admits Rangers shot themselves in the foot with another dodgy defensive display in the draw against St Mirren.

The Dutchman is fighting for his job at Ibrox after a late James Tavernier penalty only proved enough to earn the visitors a share of the spoils on Saturday.

Jonah Ayunga gave the Buddies the lead as Rangers failed to clear their lines from a throw-in and the striker was denied by Allan McGregor.

Leon King was unable to prevent Ayunga finishing from close range as Rangers were forced to come from behind and salvage a point that only limited the damage in the title race.

Van Bronckhorst said: "Some good attacks were difficult because they played well defensively and we had to speed our game up.

"That is what we had to do in the second half and then we started the second half making a foul and then we conceded a throw-in, which we knew they were going to be dangerous.

"They had the three first contacts in the box. We have to be much sharper in those situations because we cannot defend like that.

"You have to be tough and make sure you do everything you can to win the first ball and then clear the ball and clear the danger.

"We didn’t do that at the beginning of the second half and then it is going to be more difficult. We tried to get back into the game, eventually we had the penalty 15 or 20 minutes before time so 1-1.

"We pushed for the second one and we had one chance cleared off the line one or two times and for Ryan as well in the end. Of course it is two points dropped here.

"We could have created more, that is for sure. But it is both ends of the pitch.

"If you create not so many chances, you have to be more clinical when you have the chances and you have to do everything to avoid goals against you. Especially with the goal, we didn’t do that well at all."