Smith (centre) was pleased to bounce back from a midweek defeat

Rangers manager Walter Smith was satisfied with "a job well done" following the 2-0 win over Aberdeen.

The result gave the Ibrox side a four-point lead over Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premier League ahead of their rival's match on Sunday.

"After a disappointing home result on Wednesday (defeat to Hibernian), it was important that we won today's game," Smith told BBC Radio Scotland.

"We did so and I thought, in the first half especially, we played very well."

Kenny Miller headed Rangers in front and missed a penalty after Vladimir Weiss had scored the home side's second.

"We're just delighted that we've managed to win what was always going to be a tough game," said Smith. "No team loses in the manner Aberdeen did last weekend at Celtic Park and then come to Ibrox and set their stall out in the same manner.

"Today, they stuck to their task throughout the 90 minutes.

"If the third one goes in, there's obviously a little bit of pressure on them to change a little bit, which is what we would've hoped to happen but we missed it. We kept going, we kept playing. We had one or two chances in the second half that could have added to the score.

"I'm just delighted that we managed to get the breakthrough early, it was a terrific goal by Kenny Miller, a good header.

"The lad (Weiss) has got a heel injury that is causing him a bit of discomfort and it's easing as the weeks go on. He's been hampered a bit with that in the last two, three weeks.

"He's starting to show that he's coming out of that a little bit. He played well and I'm delighted that he managed to get a goal."

With Smith without several of his first-team players, Rangers listed only six substitutes against the Dons.

"We've got quite a few out," said the Rangers manager. "I have said over the season quite consistently that's something that could be a problem for us in terms of how we go in the league.

Steven Naismith looked to get a nasty one right at the end of the game to his shoulder Walter Smith

"But, credit to the lads who go out onto the pitch. They worked very hard. When teams come and set themselves up the way Aberdeen did today, it's sometimes an awkward situation when you're trying to commit a lot of players forward to get a goal.

"We play in the same manner in the European games so we know what to expect when we come up against it.

One of those subs, Gregg Wylde, came on for the final 16 minutes and Smith is pleased with the wide midfielder's progress.

"He's not out of place," said Smith. "He's starting to do really well for us just now, one of our younger boys coming out of the academy.

"He's got terrific pace, he's got good delivery when he gets the opportunity to get a cross in and he works very hard. As a young lad we'll hope that he gains a bit of experience but we've got out hopes that he'll carry on from the improvement that he's shown recently."

With only two Rangers players, Steven Naismith and Steven Whittaker, called up to the Scotland squad for Tuesday's match with the Faroe Isles, most of Smith's squad will have a free midweek for the first time in several weeks.

"Steven Naismith looked to get a nasty one right at the end of the game to his shoulder but we'll just need to wait and see how they are," added Smith.

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