JACK BUTLAND insists the result was the most important thing as Rangers defeated Hearts 3-1 in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon.
It was a spirited performance from the Light Blues at Tynecastle with Butland pulling off a string of impressive saves to deny Hearts in the first-half before an own goal gave Rangers the advantage at the break.
Hearts equalised early in the second-half, but Rangers showed their character to secure the points, a trait Butland insists must become a regular for the squad.
Speaking to RangersTV at full-time, he said: “It was a needed performance, a needed victory, it is no consolation for last weekend, but we had to bounce back with a win. It is what the fans expect, performance wise it could've been better.
“In the first-half we gave the ball away too easily and gave them too many opportunities in transition so that has got to be better, we have got to be tidier, but when we did show some quality on the ball we managed to break them down fairly easily.
“We have just got to find a way of getting an earlier goal and being a little bit more clinical up front. All in all, it was a good performance, they started with a real belief which we can't have so we needed to make sure that got quietened as soon as possible. Performance wise okay, result was the most important thing.
“We have to show that character more often, it is highlighted in games like last weekend. You get punished if you are not at it and that is not an acceptable trait that we can have.
“We have been good in some huge games but there are other games that are just as big and just as important that we need to find this mentality and consistency within the group which at times we haven't done so it was important to show that.”
On his own performance Butland added: “I am my own biggest critic, I set myself a standard which I think I have met for long long periods of my time at the club so far but there are always moments I wish I could've done better.
“Sometimes it plays on your mind, sometimes you are busy thinking about that, but I feel in a really good place.
“I know things have gone on, but I feel really determined and focused, and I am just glad. It is my job at the end of the day, but it is always nice as a keeper to feel you have provided something for the team and thankfully, we got the goals to make it worthwhile.”
Moving forward, Butland says the squad must continue to get the job done, he added: “We just have to keep winning, it is the only thing that is acceptable from here on out. We can't be learning any more lessons, saying well done here and there and then letting it slip. We have to keep winning. It is the only thing that matters.
“The only thing that is going to buy this squad any credit is if we continue to win games. It starts next weekend, and this has to be the mindset about getting the job done.”