Long way to go

Neil Lennon wants Sunday's loss to Rangers to be viewed in context as his side look to bounce back against St Johnstone in tonight's Co-operative Insurance Cup quarter-final at McDiarmid Park. The Hoops lost their 100 per cent record in the SPL to their rivals who are now three points clear at the top of the table. Much of the fall-out from the encounter centred on criticism of referee Willie Collum for awarding Rangers a penalty in the second half of the 3-1 win for the visitors. However, Lennon's players have also come under scrutiny

Lennon said: "I have thought long and hard over the weekend and hopefully the next time we play Rangers we will be better. I analysed the game to see where we could have done better. We made basic mistakes for the first two goals and we were punished. But it's not as if the championship was decided on Sunday. It is so early in the season. I maintained all along that it wouldn't have a bearing on the course of the season, the third and fourth Old Firm games are usually the make or break ones. So it's not all doom and gloom, we have only lost one SPL game this season albeit to our major rivals. We all feel a bit raw but the best way back is to put in the positive performance although it won't be easy at St Johnstone. It's all about the character of the players and we will be motivating them as best we can. We have been playing very, very well and the players will learn from that experience on Sunday and come back better players and as a better team."