Walter Smith was given a fine send-off in his last match in charge of Rangers at Ibrox last night. 'Gers produced a 2-0 result against Dundee United to move four points clear of Old Firm derby rivals Celtic and move a step closer to Smith overseeing his 10th Scottish title in two reigns in Glasgow before he steps out of the job at the end of the season.
Nikica Jelavic was again on the scoresheet with a powerful header from 10 yards after Steven Whittaker's cross found him in the 21st minute before Kyle Lafferty added a second four minutes later when he received a neat through ball from Steve Naismith and slotted home.
The win put Rangers in a commanding position ahead of their final match of the season at Kilmarnock on Sunday.
Celtic now have to do all the chasing and will begin that with an Edinburgh clash at Heart of Midlothian before meeting Motherwell at home on Saturday.
After the match, Smith refused to get sentimental and made sure his focus was on winning the Premiership.
"Where we are just now, the focus is on trying to retain the championship again," he said.
"As I've said over the last few weeks, I didn't think we would manage it and it's to the players' credit that we have got ourselves into the situation that we are in so we have to see it out now.
"Hopefully we can do so but we will have to play as well as we did do tonight at Kilmarnock on Sunday."
Smith added: "Our aim when we got towards the end of the season was to win the three remaining games and we have won two of them now.
"Next we have an away match at Kilmarnock on Sunday where we can clinch the championship. It's in our own hands and that's the way we want it."
