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'It's on,' says Rangers boss Danny Rohl as his title-seeking players get ready to hunt down Hearts

  /  autty

Rangers boss Danny Rohl insists his players are relishing the role of 'hunter' in this Premiership title race - but says it won't be long before his side wipe out the gap at the top of the table.

Second-half goals from James Tavernier, Danilo and Djeidi Gassama were enough to see Rangers pick up maximum points against Dundee and extend their winning run in all competitions to eight matches.

With Hearts and Celtic finishing all square at Tynecastle, Rohl's men moved to within four points of the Jambos at the summit, and two clear of Celtic in third with 15 games remaining.

And Rohl - who has overseen an incredible turnaround since replacing Russell Martin back in October - believes he has a squad capable of going the distance.

He said: 'We know, and I think this is the good part when I look to my group inside the dressing room after a 3-0 (win), that we want to do more and (be) better.

'We are not lazy now and think everything is going well. No, they are still hungry.

'This is what I try to live every day in front of them, be humble as well.

'We want to be the hunter, we want to hunt on the pitch with our pressing, we want to hunt the teams around us, be on the front foot, then we (can) have a lot of fun.

'It feels great (to close the gap), but hopefully the feeling will get better and better during the second half of the season, because this is still a long way to go, we know this.

'I know, at Rangers, the demand is high to get a lot of wins. But for me it's also eight wins in row... it's a statement.

'Especially from which point we were, and if we can continue this, and we do our homework and we go again, then, yeah, it's on.'

Rohl was serenaded by the crowd as he walked around the pitch at full-time, and says the connection between the supporters and his players has been key to changing the mood music around Ibrox since his arrival.

'We spoke before the game about the noises in the stadium,' he said. 'I know this is always at first our responsibility to bring the game and the result.

'When we started together, the stands were more... not empty, but not so many people. I look around, then after the 2-0 and 3-0, the stadium was full and full, more people there.

'I think this is exactly what my team at the moment deserved, they deserved this part.

'Now you see the connection, we can enjoy to go around, we have to enjoy today, and then on Monday, Tuesday we go again, prepare the next game.

'But a big respect to our supporters, I think they feel now what is possible. We try our best to be on the front foot every game, and then we go forward together.'

Rohl handed first starts to January recruits Andreas Skov Olsen and Tochi Chukwuani, but it was captain Tavernier who gave Rangers a much-needed spark with the opener from the penalty spot - his 100th league goal from the club.

'Tav I think knows his role,' he said. 'I think this is important that he helps the group.

'In the last two games he was not on the pitch, I think that's also important. I spoke with him, it's about leading the group, even if you're not in a starting XI and be always there.

'He's doing a fantastic job. He's a leader, he's a player from the club for a long, long time, and he will help us as well to grow. We have a young group, but with the experience it's great.'

Dundee counterpart Steven Pressley was frustrated that his side - who came into the contest having won four of their last five fixtures - were unable to pose enough problems in the final third.

'At 1-0 down just touching 90 minutes, I was still disappointed because I think we're better than we showed today,' he said.

'I thought we showed a maturity and a bravery in terms of first phase and mid-phase build-up, but we didn't create enough clear-cut opportunities within the game.

'We've got some special players that can create these moments.

'So that aspect, I'm disappointed, because I genuinely came here thinking we could take something from the game.

'There's still a lot of development within this group, and hopefully when we return in the future, you'll see an even better Dundee team.'