RANGERS striker Kris Boyd today admitted the one that got away on Saturday afternoon is still preying on his mind.

The Ibrox forward was clean through on Artur Boruc, but hit his shot straight at the Polish keeper.

It was an action replay of the December 27 game at Ibrox when, at 0-0, Boyd went one on one, but Boruc got the better of him again.

However, Boyd's overall contribution in the game was night and day from previous games against Celtic.

And the player admitted that being left on the sidelines for the first Old Firm game of the season opened his eyes to the work he still had to put into his game.

"Missing the chance was disappointing," he said. "I'm not going to lie. It was a good opportunity to score and as a striker I was so desperate to get one against Celtic.

"But I didn't dwell on it. The most important thing for me was being on the winning team and getting those three points in the Championship race.

"The fact I didn't score really doesn't bother me - certainly not as much as it would have in the past.

"There was a time when I would have come off the park gutted, feeling I'd let the team down. But I felt I'd played played my part in the team winning a vital match."

And Boyd believes he had every reason to feel he had played a vital role in Saturday's critical 1-0 win.

"When we kicked off the aim was to win, not for me to score," he said.

"The fact of the matter is I can't hit the net in every single game - I'm not a robot.

"I know there is this perception I'm a goal machine, but that's not the case - sometimes I miss and I accept that.

"I feel over the last two or three months I've knuckled down and worked hard on other aspects of my own game.

"I know now goals aren't enough, I need to do more. That was something that hit home to me when I wasn't starting in the big matches.

"When that happens you need to ask yourself why, and I did that.

"I realised I needed to do something about it. Now the gaffer is picking me and I am delighted about that."

Boyd also reckons believes the off-field controversy that hit the club united the squad.

The suspensions meted to Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor for their parts in Boozegate could have derailed the Ibrox side's title tilt.

But instead it helped to galvanise them. Boyd confirmed: "What happened with Fergie and Greegsy had an effect.

"When it happened things could have gone one of two ways - we could either have fallen away or got together, which is what we've done.

"We've won seven on the bounce and hope we can continue until the end of the season.

"The two lads are back and regret what happened, but they want to be part of a winning side. They haven't become bad players overnight, so the gaffer will look at them as guys who could help us clinch the championship."