Capital defeat stuns Rangers Kris Boyd left Tynecastle with four stitches in a head wound - the unwanted souvenir of Rangers' first defeat of the season.

Kris Boyd left Tynecastle with four stitches in a head wound - theunwanted souvenir of Rangers' first defeat of the season.

He now hopes the 4-2 humbling against Hearts will not result in alingering headache for the rest of the team.

The result was enough to knock Rangers off top spot in the PremierLeague and Celtic gleefully replaced their rivals as leaders with a 5-0 pounding of Inverness hours later.

Having suffered the first real setback of the latest Walter Smithera, Rangers now face the challenge of proving they are made ofstronger stuff than the team who would have folded under Paul Le Guen12 months ago.

Wednesday's Champions League group stage opener at home toStuttgart provides the ideal opportunity to demonstrate an ability tocompete on all fronts.

"I'll be fine for the game," said Boyd, who was involved in aclash of heads at the half-time whistle.

"Some folk maybe wish I was concussed," he added wryly, in areference to his critics this term.

"We have to raise our game or else we will be embarrassed on aworld stage so it is up to us to show that we are good team andbounce back from a disappointing performance. We will give it ourbest shot.."

Rangers' 100% record was ripped to shreds inside 26 minutes in thecapital. That is how long it took Hearts to turn the defence insideout and establish a comfortable lead through Andrew Driver andIbrahim Tall.

A Daniel Cousin penalty despatched coolly from 12 yards provided aglimmer of hope before Michael Stewart and Kestutis Ivaskeviciuswrapped up the points. DaMarcus Beasley's late strike was scantconsolation.