After marking his return from injury with a well-taken goal in Rangers 3–0 victory at Rugby Park, Mikey Moore admitted the overriding feeling was one of relief and satisfaction.
The young Spurs loanee, whose resurgence under Danny Röhl has quickly captured the imagination of the Rangers support, said simply getting back on the park was as pleasing as finding the net.
Moore explained that helping the team gather momentum remains his main priority.
“I’m just happy to contribute again,” he said, reflecting on his appearance from the bench.
“Getting the goal felt great, but the most important thing is we keep collecting points and keep winning games.
“It was good to be back involved.”
Rangers were clinical across the afternoon, and Moore made a point of praising his teammates, particularly double goalscorer Bojan Miovski.
“The boys were excellent today,” he said.
“It’s a tough place to come, but we took our chances well and I’m delighted for Bojan - his finishes were brilliant.
“As a team, we managed the game properly and saw it out.”
Asked what instructions he received before coming on, Moore said his role was clear: keep the game flowing in Rangers favour, one way or another.
He said: “Whether it’s helping us defend a lead or pushing to finish it off, I know I’ve got to make an impact.
“I managed to get my goal and was close to grabbing a second.”
His disallowed seond left him smiling more than frustrated.
“I know, I was unlucky with that one,” he laughed.
“Could’ve been another, but that’s football.”
The recent injury, though short in duration, felt longer to Moore because of the intense fixture schedule.
“It was tough being out,” he admitted.
“Even though it was only about ten days, it meant missing four games.
“When you’re enjoying your football and the team’s playing so often, sitting in the stand feels horrible. So even getting fifteen minutes today felt brilliant.”
What followed was a moment he will not forget in a hurry: the Rangers fans singing his name.
“I didn’t expect that at all,” he said.
“To have a song already… that was unbelievable.”
Moore joked that the best way to keep hearing it is straightforward enough: “If I keep sticking the ball in the net, I reckon they’ll keep singing it!”
Finally, he echoed the manager’s message about building consistency.
“We need to keep our run going,” Moore said.
“Since the manager came in, we haven’t lost. We’re taking points, but we have to keep pushing, in Europe and in the league.
“It’s about momentum now - just keep aiming for three points every time.”
Rangers will look to grab their first three points in the UEFA Europa League this Thursday as they travel to Hungary to take on Ferencvaros in what is a win or bust tie.