WALTER SMITH responded to his Rangers side's second Old Firm defeat in 12 days by insisting that the title race is still in their own hands.

The 3-2 victory for Celtic moved them five points clear of their rivals at the top of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League and Gordon Strachan's side can extend their lead still further if they win on Saturday at Motherwell. Rangers face Hibernian at Easter Road next Sunday and still have three games in hand.

"We know if we keep winning then we will have a four-point lead," insisted Smith. "Celtic have got a set team and the pride that comes from being champions for a couple of seasons. They've shown that in the games against us. For us, it's a matter of keeping a level head and approaching the final six games in the same manner as we did today.

"In England, the teams at the top of the league are level. Our situation is more awkward because of the differential in the number of games to be played. After the Old Firm game at Ibrox a lot of people said that was the league over, but I was the one person who said it wasn't because of our situation with games in hand.

"After Thursday's game the second leg of the UEFA Cup semi-final against Fiorentina we will be clear on what we have to do for the rest of the season. Hopefully we can hit the level of play we managed before our couple of setbacks."

Smith also faces personnel problems after a combustible match deprived him two key players. David Weir is a doubt for the Fiorentina tie after he picked up a groin strain in the first half and finally limped out of the action after 51 minutes. Steven Whittaker was sent off at the death for a tackle on Shunsuke Nakamura and will be suspended for the visit to his former side, Hibs, next Sunday. Steven Davis also picked up a groin strain, though Carlos Cuellar and Kevin Thomson will be available again.

Smith was annoyed at referee Craig Thomson's decision to send Whittaker off. "I'm a little bit aggrieved at that. The first foul was a booking and the second just a tired challenge at the end of the game. When you take into account Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's challenge a dangerous, high tackle on Amdy Faye, which earned him a booking, we've had a player sent off in kind of innocuous circumstances. In the context of the game, I think Vennegoor of Hesselink's challenge warranted more than a yellow card."

Rangers fell a goal behind to a Scott McDonald strike after four minutes but came racing back into the game with headed goals from Weir and Daniel Cousin. McDonald's deflected effort restored parity by half time before Robson's penalty sealed the points for Celtic. Smith felt his side deserved more from the game. "I thought we started the game very well and had the better of the first half hour, though Celtic came back into it towards the end of the first half when they pinned us back for the first time," he said. "In the second half there wasn't much between the teams.

"We lost a couple of bad goals defensively and I was a little bit disappointed that we didn't take at least a point from the match. Our players put a lot into the game considering they had a match on the Thursday evening."

Weir's loss resulted in Faye filling in at centre-half and the midfielder, who has not played since October, was caught out of position in the lead-up to the penalty. "The disruption in our defence contributed to the third goal. If we had our normal situation, that would never have occurred," added Smith.

McDonald's opener was a source of contention, with replays showing he may have been fractionally offside. "I felt at the time it was offside but I haven't seen it on TV," said defender Weir. "These things happen. Every decision is not going to go your way."

Weir spent much of the second half in the dressing room after his injury, but insisted that Rangers have the character to overcome the loss of two Old Firm games and key personnel.

"We've got six league games left, our destiny is in our own hands and we have to put the performances in. You don't win championships easily. We have a lot of strong characters."