Rangers handed 'wake-up call' as Olwethu Makhanya reacts to Hearts draw

Olwethu Makhanya has described Rangers' 2-2 draw with Hearts as a "wake-up call" after Derek McInnes' side dropped another two points on the road at Tynecastle.

The Gers dropped away points at Dens Park less than a fortnight ago, drawing with Dundee by the same scoreline.

Rangers were left frustrated after surrendering their early advantage, gained via a composed Kevin Kelsy finish, during a disappointing second-half, with Makhanya admitting the overall performance fell well below the standards expected of the team.

The South African defender did find the net for his first Rangers goal, but the personal milestone offered little consolation after the visitors failed to take all three points.

"I think the whole performance from tonight was really disappointing," he said to Rangers TV.

"We're a better team than what we showed today. It's one of those games that we just have to try and move on forward and then focus on the next one.

"We expected a difficult game. They are difficult opponents to play, especially at home. So, it was a game that we expected.

"We just had to show more character."

Makhanya highlights Rangers' second-half problem

One of the biggest frustrations for Rangers was the speed with which they conceded after the interval, allowing Hearts back into the game and costing them valuable points.

McInnes’ men conceded twice early in the second period, with Claudio Braga and Calvin Miller turning the match around.

Makhanya admitted the team could not afford to keep making the same mistakes, particularly with important fixtures approaching.

"It was really frustrating, really disappointing because we dropped another point, more points," he said. "We need to be better."

The defender also identified a recurring problem in Rangers' performances since returning from the international break, suggesting the team have struggled to manage the opening stages of second halves.

He believes the squad must learn when to control matches rather than allowing the occasion to dictate their approach.

"Ever since we came back from the break, we haven't been able to start the second half the right way," Makhanya said.

"It's one of those games that we need to learn to control the game at the right moment and try and play our game and always play the game and not the moment."

First Rangers goal offers one positive

While Makhanya was pleased to get off the mark in front of goal with his 89th minute header, he admitted it was difficult to celebrate given the final result.

"Honestly, I don't even feel like I scored a goal today, but of course I'm happy," he said.

"I feel like since I got my first goal, there'll be more coming. So, yeah, that's the only positive that we can take from the game.

"I feel like this game was a wake-up call. We need to focus on that now."

Next up for Rangers is Saturday evening's Premier Sports Cup semi-final at Hampden against Aberdeen.