STEVEN GERRARD hailed a ‘heroic’ performance from his Rangers players as they progressed to the Europa League play-off round with a goalless draw against Maribor.

The Gers made the trip to Slovenia with a 3-1 aggregate lead following a deserved win at Ibrox last Thursday night.

And Gerrard’s side turned in a terrific showing to set up a meeting with Russia side Ufa following their win over Progres Niederkorn.

Gerrard said: “Over the two legs we deserved to go through and we’ve just knocked a Champions League side out of the Europa League.

“Considering we are so new as a staff and team, there have been a lot of changes and we have some issues with injuries and trying to get one or two over the line, if you look at the big picture my players were incredible tonight.

“We expected them to come even more in the second half as time was running out and we were getting more joy at the other end and created one or two little opportunities we might have capitalised on and got that goal I was talking about but I have no criticism of my team today, defensively we were heroic.

“The challenges are harder because the players are better we’re coming up against as we progress in this competition so they deserve even more credit tonight.”

Rangers had to withstand spells of heavy pressure as Maribor piled forward in search of a route back into the game.

Keeper Allan McGregor pulled of a string of superb stops to keep the hosts at bay and then saved a Marcos Tavares penalty in the final minutes.

Gerrard said: “I’m not sure there are words to describe him after a performance like that. The save before the penalty was world class and then to stand big and get his team a clean sheet after all the work they had put in, to contribute towards the clean sheet - Allan McGregor was [Man of the Match].”

Gerrard insisted after the first leg last week that the second 45 minutes was the finest performance of his Ibrox reign to date.

But the Light Blues arguably surpassed that showing as they stood firm to overcome a significant challenge in Slovenia.

Gerrard said: “It’s important the players enjoy this and have time to rest and recover. We are going to play a Russian team and that is another challenge.

“But my players should take confidence from where they have got to so far and I have confidence that we can go and finish off the job of qualification.

“I know you’ll get certain people who might criticise in terms of our possession or creativity but what you have to understand is that when we are at Ibrox we can show style and press high and put on a show – like we did in the first leg, like we did against St Mirren before going a man down.

“But then when a different challenge comes you have to stay strong, resolute and show a different side. I felt we did that and showed we are a tough nut to crack.”

Rangers spurned a couple of chances that could have made their night easier as the clock ticked down in Slovenia.

But Gerrard was delighted with the defensive resolve the Light Blues showed as they stood up to be counted once again.

He said: “I’m pleased because there are two sides of this team, and you have to have two sides.

“Where we are at the moment, there is no way we can come here and go and press. We are coming to a Champions League venue and we are playing against a high-calibre of player with a 2-0 lead. There is no reason to go and press and go gung-ho and take unnecessary risks.

“It was their responsibility to come and beat us. They were the favourites.

“They were confident, they had all the ego and all the media. It was their responsibility to break us down and they couldn’t.”