Reilly will aim to be pitch perfect and ready to rock
“They want the underdog to go all the way”
O N June 5, Palmerston Park will reverberate to the classic anthem Rocking All Over the World.
But before little Queen of the South roll out the welcome mat for Francis Rossi’s supergroup, the Doonhamers hope their artificial turf can upset Scottish football’s own Status Quo to bring top-flight football to Dumfries for the first time in 50 years.
In their bid to do so, James Fowler’s men approach this weekend’s play- off quarter-final first leg against Rangers confident in the knowledge their last two home meetings with the Ibrox side on the plastic pitch have ended in emphatic 2-0 and 3-0 triumphs.
Rangers boss Stuart McCall insisted the Ibrox side will not face a psychological barrier when they head south for Saturday’s 5.30pm kick- off. But he conceded his players won’t train on their own plastic pitch at Murray Park like they did before their 3-0 Palmerston loss last month; the only defeat of McCall’s 11-game tenure.
For Queens hotshot Gavin Reilly, however, the mere f act that Rangers are talking publicly about the issue means the plastic pitch is in their heads. And allied to his opinion that Queens ‘ played Rangers off the park’ in the 2-0 win last December, the 21-year- old feels there are plenty reasons for Queens to believe they can become play-off kings.
‘It’s definitely an advantage to have the first leg at home,’ said Reilly. ‘ We have won both games this season at Palmerston and, if we can make it a third time, all the pressure is on Rangers.
‘You have to take into account our pitch. The fact people keep mentioning it is an advantage. It puts them on a negative already. It is already in their mind-set whereas we are used to it. So I think we can use that as a positive.
‘We have done really well at home against Rangers this season and, hopefully, we can take the game to them and get a good lead to take to Ibrox.
‘They are a massive club and we will give them all the respect they deserve, but we are confident of winning,’ he added.
Reilly certainly knows all about hurting Rangers, having scored in three of the four matches between the sides this season. If his sublime second goal in the 2-0 win over Rangers in December was the best of his career, it was overshadowed by the news that Ally McCoist had handed in his resignation that very morning.
Reilly felt aggrieved at such a fine team performance being overshadowed but believes Queens are now grudgingly being afforded the respect they deserve. But the former apprentice gas engineer is hoping to turn the heat up on the Ibrox side again.
‘I have done well against Rangers this season,’ smiled the 21-yearold striker.
‘It seems like every chance that has come my way against them this season I have taken it. The goal in December was one of the best I’ve scored, especially as it was on my weaker left side. I couldn’t actually believe it went in! Any goal is special but it is always good to score against one of the biggest teams in Scotland.
‘But I think we have been hard done to a couple of times this season. With all due respect, we played them off the park in December. We were exceptionally good but everyone was talking about how bad Rangers were.
‘And even when we lost 4-2 to them at Ibrox we still did very well but never really got any credit. It has been like that all season. The limelight is always on Hibs, Hearts and Rangers.
‘It’s been hard on us but we did get more credit when we beat them 3-0. It would be great to get another goal but it’s not about me. It’s about the result.’
Rangers’ firstchoice strikers Kenny Miller and Nicky Clark have managed j ust 15 goals between them in the Championship. It is not exactly how many imagined things would turn out when Miller and Kris Boyd both returned to Ibrox last summer. By contrast, even if Rangers do find a way to keep 13-goal Reilly quiet, they will also have to stop Derek Lyle, who has scored 15 league goals.
Reilly used to play alongside Clark at Palmerston but is currently enjoying learning his trade from 34-year-old Lyle.
‘Myself and Del have scored a lot of goals this season,’ said Reilly. ‘Considering the size of the club compared to the top three — Hearts, Hibs and Rangers — we have done really well.
‘Derek is great to play with, he has been around a lot and he is basically teaching me my trade. I’m extremely grateful for all the help and advice from him and for him being there for me.
‘I’m really looking forward to the play- offs. I’m from Gretna but I was born in Dumfries and the fans and the whole town are behind us all the way.
‘I think the other teams are also rooting for us as well. I think they want the underdog to come through and go all the way.’