TOMMY WRIGHT lamented the poor decision making from his St Johnstone defence as Rangers ran out comfortable winners at McDiarmid Park.
The Light Blues produced a significantly improved second half showing to clinch all three points as Alfredo Morelos and Connor Goldson netted.
And Jermain Defoe then stepped off the bench to net twice in the final minutes as Steven Gerrard’s side added a shine to the scoreline.
St Johnstone thought they had reduced the deficit when Steven Davis made a superb double block on the line before Rangers broke and scored their third of the game.
It was to turn into a frustrating afternoon for boss Wright as the Saints competed well at times but never looked like earning anything for their efforts on home soil.
And the Northern Irishman was disappointed at how the second half unfolded as the Saints’ difficult start to the campaign continued.
Wright said: “Everything was good at half-time. We worked off a really good shape. They had one good chance with Morelos and we had one for Michael O’Halloran.
“At half-time we thought Rangers probably looked at their most dangerous on the counter attack.
“That’s where their first goal comes from. The decision making was poor.
“You know Morelos wants to get tight to you and roll you.
“For all that he does well, we gifted the first goal. For the second they got a free header and we were behind the eight ball.
“We tried to stay in the game and we think we got a perfectly good goal. We didn’t get it and they went up the field and scored.
“You think it is going to be 2-1 but it is 3-0 and game over.
“We think it is over the line, I know Rangers are saying it wasn’t.
“My first impressions were that it was over the line. If we had VAR it would tell us one way or another.
“And the fourth goal was well offside. I don’t know how the linesman doesn’t get it, that was poor.
“But refereeing decisions aren’t what cost us the game, it was our poor decision making and poor defending.
“For their third we had too many player arguing with officials and they went up the field and scored. That is naivity, just get on with the game.
“Rangers deserved their win. My frustration is not with the officlals but with our defending at times.”
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