Rangers to approach Queen of the South cautiously

RANGERS assistant boss Kenny Black has hinted his side will adopt a cautious approach to the start of their play-off quarter-final against Queen of the South.

Rangers manager Stuart McCall consults with Kenny Black as Hearts manager Robbie Neilson watches on from the stand. Picture: SNS

Rangers travel to Dumfries on Saturday having lost five goals and scored none in their two Scottish Championship defeats at Palmerston this season.

Black and manager Stuart McCall were in the dugout for the second game - a 3-0 defeat - and they want to make sure they start better this time.

“It is a different type of approach to the game and we don’t necessarily need to win the game at Palmerston in the first half,” Black told the club’s official website.

“We need to be mindful (of) the fact there is 180 minutes of football and there will be little twists and turns along the way.”

Queens’ home record is second only to Hearts in the Championship and Rangers have struggled for consistency in the second half of the season, winning only six of their last 18 games.

But Black hopes his players will rise to the big occasion as they look to set up a semi-final against Hibernian.

“Hopefully this pressurised situation will bring out the best in us, we have a lot of experienced players and staff and it is up to us to go and retaliate first,” the former Rangers midfielder said.

“Queen of the South have a terrific home record, they’ve had 13 home victories in the league this season so we have to make sure we combat that.

“With a two-legged affair, hopefully we can come back with an advantage or at the very minimum still be on level terms with the 90 minutes to come at Ibrox.

“We certainly wouldn’t like to come back with the two previous results we have had there, that would put us under extreme pressure.”