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Walter Smith admits fans had every right to be angry after watching Rangers knocked off top spot in the SPL with a 1-0 defeat to Inverness.

A last-minute penalty converted by Ian Black saw Caley claim a shock win at Ibrox on Wednesday night to move off the bottom of the table, while Celtic returned to the summit with a victory at Kilmarnock.

Fans grew increasingly frustrated throughout the game and the Rangers players left the pitch to jeers at the end after allowing their arch-rivals to move into pole position in the title race once again.

Smith said: "Sometimes it's hard to play here, sometimes the crowd are hard to please.

"But, when you are going for a championship and play the way we played in the first half, the crowd have a right to express their displeasure."

Celtic now enjoy a three-point advantage at the top and, asked whether he expects more twists and turns yet to come in the title race, Smith replied: "There's got to be.

"That's the disappointing thing. We have faced difficult games, like the one against Hamilton at the weekend, which we negotiated well.

"That makes this more disappointing. Our approach was a bit too casual."

David Weir was shown a straight red card for a foul on David Proctor before Black netted from the spot and Smith refused to criticise the call made by referee Calum Murray.

He said: "I was in the dugout and it was difficult to see through the players but I've no great complaints.

"I'm not quite sure whether the player was impeded or not but there were no complaints from the players."

Caley Thistle boss Terry Butcher completely missed the last-gasp drama which led to his side claiming a shock win, confessing: "I didn't actually see it.

"I was too busy shouting at Lionel (Djebi-Zadi) because I told him to play the ball to the corner and he played it down the middle. I was so angry but we got a penalty at the end.

"I saw the ref point to the spot and Ian Black stepped up very well."

Despite putting a dent in Rangers' championship hopes, Butcher backed his former club to triumph at the end of the season.

"I still think Rangers will win the title but that's their concern," he said. "Our concern is staying off the foot of the table.

"I'm very pleased because we lost three points on Saturday and I was looking for the players who had made mistakes to bounce back.

"It was a difficult game to bounce back in but they did themselves proud and I'm very proud of them.

"I'm delighted. If you had said before the game we would get three points, I would have said you'd had too much gin."

TeamTalk / Eurosport