Miller will deal with the doubters

RANGERS manager Walter Smith has backed Kenny Miller to continue proving his critics wrong if his team-mates keep carving out the chances that helped him secure a double at Easter Road.

Miller's clinical first-half finishes put Rangers back on top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League. The goals took the former Hibs striker's tally to four following his return to Ibrox – he also netted twice at Celtic last month.

"I think, overall, his performances have been really good," the Rangers manager said.

"Everybody talks about his number of goals but if the performances are good, and you have the creation of opportunities that there was (yesterday], then he has shown in his career he can get a number of goals.

"When people criticise his level of scoring, a lot of the time he has been playing in teams that, had there been better creation, then he may have had more."

Miller returned to the starting line-up alongside Jean-Claude Darcheville after a calf injury ruled him out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup win at Partick Thistle, where Kris Boyd scored a stunning volley.

Smith no doubt felt vindicated for dropping Boyd but he argued his selection only worked because the team played well.

"I felt pace would be an important factor," he said.