Max Aarons’ goal ‘could be a real big moment’ for Rangers, says Russell Martin

Embattled manager Russell Martin believes Max Aarons’ stoppage-time winner at Livingston could prove “a real big moment” in his quest to win over angry Rangers supporters who continued to call for his head after he eked out a first William Hill Premiership victory in six attempts.

James Tavernier put Gers in front midway through the first half but the captain blew the chance to extend their lead when his penalty was saved by Lions goalkeeper Jerome Prior.

The hosts capitalised to equalise through Mo Sylla after the break, leaving Rangers staring at the prospect of a sixth league game without a win.

But substitute Aarons popped up in the dying moments to elevate the Light Blues from 11th to eighth in the table and ensure some form of reprieve for Martin, who – as has become the norm – was the subject of vociferous calls for his sacking throughout the afternoon from a huge travelling support in West Lothian.

“I’d rather have been 3-0 up at half-time, but I think it could be a real big moment for us,” Martin said of the dramatic ending.

“It felt really good in the dressing room, I enjoyed their celebrations.

“The game is always open to interpretation but mine is that we were brilliant for 45 minutes and then for 25 minutes in the second half, we showed so much character. We were really proud of that.

“We deserved to win. The first half was the best we played all season, we played brilliantly, some amazing football.

“We should have scored more goals for sure. We didn’t start the second half well, we didn’t control it anywhere near enough. The gap between the first half and the second was too big.

“But in the last 20 minutes, we were so dominant in their half.

“I’m really pleased for the players because they showed how hard they’re fighting for each other, for us, for me. I think that’s grown in the last three or four weeks, that character and resilience they’ve been developing.”

Rangers’ first away win in six months saw them gain two points on city rivals Celtic, who they now trail by seven points.

“I think we’re hunting a lot of teams at the moment, it’s not just about one team,” said Martin.

“We have to really hunt and be so hungry and desperate to win and make sure we’re where we want to be at the end of the season. So today’s a big step for us, I think, and we need to use that as a catalyst to kick on.”

Even after the joy of a late winner, Martin – who immediately headed up the tunnel – was still subjected to chants for his sacking at full-time.

“I can’t control it and I can’t waste energy focusing on it,” he said. “I have to use that energy for the players and the staff inside the building and to try and improve us and to win more games.

“And hopefully if we do that, everyone will be happy. It’s why I went down the tunnel after, because the players deserved to enjoy it. So it’s not about me at that point, but they could enjoy it and I had to wait for them in the dressing room.”

Livingston boss David Martindale was gutted to see his side succumb to a stoppage-time winner for the third time in four matches.

“I was really proud of the players,” he said. “We had two 20-year-olds (Mo Susoho and Macaulay Tait) in the middle of the park, I don’t think there will be many Premiership clubs doing that, and I thought the two of them were magnificent.

“I could go through the whole team and say that. There was a lot more positives than negatives.”