Potter: “Effort Was There, But Quality Was Missing”

By Sheryl RitchieRangers manager Jo Potter echoed Docherty’s disappointment, conceding that her side failed to do enough in possession to create chances.“Yeah, we can have pride in ourselves on aspects, but we didn’t create enough chances,” Potter said post-match. “I can’t fault the effort or desire, but the quality wasn’t there. We didn’t do what we needed to do in possession.”When asked whether her side were over-elaborate in attack, Potter acknowledged the impact of pressure and decision-making.“We did feel the pressure of the game. There were some positive moments, but we needed to make better decisions. No one wants to make mistakes.”She also praised Hibs for their defensive resilience and streetwise performance.“Hibs have real defenders – they’re willing to put their heads and bodies on the line,” she said. “They used the dark arts. It’s not nice to be on the receiving end, but they did what it takes to win. They fully deserved to be winners.”Potter admitted she still had belief during the match, but recognised that a lack of cutting edge ultimately cost them.“At 0-0 I’m always confident we’ll create chances, but there was a real lack of creativity today. That final pass just wasn’t there.”She also expressed frustration over Hibs’ game management tactics.“It’s frustrating – they were wasting time. It’s no surprise. It’s down to them to bring it and down to us to handle it. I tried to get the referee to hurry them on, but they weren’t doing anything wrong.”The league standings added to the blow, as Glasgow City’s 2-0 win over Hearts saw them leapfrog Rangers into second, securing the final Champions League place.“We knew it was all or nothing. It’s super disappointing to miss out on Europe, but I thought that would probably be the case,” Potter added.With a Scottish Cup Final against Aberdeen looming on Saturday, Potter emphasised the need for swift emotional recovery.“We have a full week to work on it and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” she said. “It hurts today, but we need to lift the staff, the players, and ourselves. We have a really good group. It’s tough just now, but we need to do everything we can.”Potter concluded by saying the staff would meet in the next 24 hours to devise a plan to lift the squad ahead of the final.As the dust settles on a painful title race conclusion, Rangers now turn their attention to Hampden, hoping to end the season on a high and take some solace in silverware.