MICHAEL Beale tonight defended his decision not to start his new signings Todd Cantwell and Nico Raskin in the Viaplay Cup final as he admitted Rangers failed to turn up until the second-half

Beale started Glen Kamara, John Lundstram and Malik Tillman in midfield the match against Celtic at Hampden today and the Ibrox club ended up losing 2-1 to their city rivals. 

But the Englishman, who suffered the first loss of his reign in his 15th match in charge, felt that Kamara, Lundstram and Tillman offered more than Cantwell and Raskin defensively and were not to blame for the reverse.

"Since I've come back in, I've tried to provide some consistency and clarity in terms of messages that the team are comfortable with," he said. 

"That same team played ever so well at the Old Firm at New Year, it put in the best performance in terms of 90 minutes since I've come back away at Hearts. On that night, we were excellent.

"So we had our goals on the pitch. Tillman and the front three had been in fine form since I've come back, over 20 goals in that team that was there since I've come back, so it's fine. 

"You've got two players that have come into the club that played two-and-a-half games each against opponents where you've got the ball.

"There was a little bit more to do today defensively, but also match legs, so there no qualms in terms of performance."

Asked why he had brought Cantwell, Ryan Jack and Raskin in the second-half, he said: "I just felt at that moment, I needed to shake the tree a little bit and try something. 

"We were stronger after that because we scored, but we scored from an isolated incident before we made those changes."

Beale confessed that he was disappointed at how Rangers, who fell 2-0 behind in the opening hour, had performed from kick-off.

"We started the game really poorly," he said. "We never found any rhythm in the first half. We were always in the game, but we never played with a rhythm that we wanted to, that we can do. There's no complaints with the overall result.

"I thought at the start of the second half, we improved. We had a big moment when Ryan (Kent) hits the post and we should do better with the rebound.

"If we score in that moment, then that's it, there might be a momentum change.

"We find ourselves 2-0 down, but we go and score and show a lot of character and resilience to try and push the game. But I was expecting more, from the team, from myself, from the day, so it's disappointing."

Beale gathered his players around him on the pitch and told them to "suck it up" and he stressed afterwards that he wants to avoid the feeling of bitter disappointment again in the future.

He said: "I am still making decisions and assessing who to bring in and maybe who I think needs to move on.

"That’s natural at this stage of the season, so everyone is playing for something and it’s important we end the season strongly.

"Our fans won’t let us not do that and I’ll be driving it within the club as well. It’s clear that we don’t want to have too many days like this.

"The club has come back from a dark place over the last few years to be competing and doing well."

Asked what he had said to his charges, Beale said: "Suck it up. It’s not nice, but on the day we didn’t come to the game until the second half in my opinion, so no qualms.

"On the day we lost the game and it’s not nice, so suck it up, get on board. You have to look at yourself in the mirror every day and that’s your biggest opponent.

"Are you being honest with that person? Are we working hard enough? Is the work we’re doing good enough? These are the days that we are  judged on.

 "We have to win the other games, but on these days this is when judgement day comes and we get it. We take it on. So that was what we spoke about in that brief moment there.

"I didn’t want anyone making any false opinions in their mind. We lost the game."