We haven't won the title yet, warns Smith

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GLASGOW, Feb 15, 2010 (AFP) - Walter Smith says his side will take nothing for granted after Rangers opened up a commanding 10-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premier League on Sunday.

The Ibrox side took advantage of Celtic's 4-4 draw away to Aberdeen to restore their double figure gap at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over third-placed Hibernian at Ibrox on Sunday.

Just four days earlier Celtic had reduced the gap to eight points when Rangers could only manage a 1-1 draw against Motherwell.

And while Smith is delighted to have regained a 10-point lead he says the league race is far from over and believes more points could be dropped by both sides in the title run-in.

"Everyone makes these assumptions all the time. We just carry on and I think that's the sensible thing to do," said Smith.

"When you look at last week it is typical of what might happen. People don't give enough credit to the other teams in Scotland. They think it's an easy thing for the Old Firm to win games - it's not.

"We are delighted to have a 10-point gap but when you get three points for a win then you know the consequences of not winning.

"So from our own point of view nothing should be taken for granted and I don't think we would do that given what has already happened this season."

The Ibrox club's clean sheet against Hibs was their tenth of the season in the league and they have conceded 13 fewer than second-placed Celtic.

And Smith said it is his side's strong defensive showing that could clinch them their second title in a row this season.

"I think any team that wins the league championship has to have a decent defensive record. I don't think there is any doubt about that," the Rangers manager said.

"Unless you score a remarkable amount of goals then that is always going to be the case.

"From our own point of view our boys have defended solidly but I think at times we have played better than a lot of people have given us credit for."

The Rangers manager was backed by his defender Steven Whittaker, who opened the scoring against his former club Hibs.

"We have managed to keep it tight at the back and we haven't been conceding goals," the right-back said.

"We went through a spell when we were not scoring except for December when we scored a lot.

"But with Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller back now I'm sure the goals will start coming and as long as we can keep the clean sheets at the back then I'm sure we'll do well."

At Ibrox Whittaker gave Rangers the lead five minutes into the second-half when he curled an excellent shot into the top left-hand corner of Graeme Smith's net.

Kris Boyd then scored his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot after Kenny Miller had been felled before Miller himself scored a third in injury time as he tapped in past Smith with Hibs substitute Kevin McBride lying injured on the deck.