We proved our worth, says Fowler

THEY had the home team rattled, of that they can be sure. If Queen of the South took anything away from Ibrox, it is the feeling that they belonged in this company.

The team who finished fourth in the Championship definitely created a bit of mayhem in the Rangers ranks and, if they had to rely on goalkeeper Zander Clark to stay in the game at times, well, that was only to be expected.

For Queens boss James Fowler, there were obviously mixed emotions at the end of what has been a courageous bid from the Palmerston side to reach the top flight.

‘ I’m a wee bit disappointed,’ said the rookie boss and former Kilmarnock star. ‘I thought we probably deserved to take the game into extra-time.

‘But I’m really proud of all the players and their performance. It was great to see such a big Queens support and, hopefully, we made them proud.

‘I don’t think there has been much between the teams. I think we were deserving of being in the top four and competing against Rangers to progress.

‘I was here when Rangers played Hearts in similar circumstances, so we expected the way it started. We weathered the initial storm. Then we changed the shape and grew into the game. We got a lot more of the ball, more joy going forwards and then we got a goal from that.

‘If the game had gone into extra-time, I don’t think Rangers would have had many complaints. We’ll look back at the chances we had. We had crosses f rom the wide areas and we just couldn’t get on t hem with cl ear headers.

‘The players gave everything. I couldn’t ask for any more. We just couldn’t get that second goal.’

Fo wl e r offered consolation to Gavin Reilly f or f l uffing the moment that might have won the game with Queens level on aggregate after Derek Lyle (right) opened the scoring, with Reilly running clear of the Rangers defence but taking a terrible touch when he might have had a clear shot at goal.

‘I’ve not spoken to him,’ said t he manager. ‘ He’l l be disappointed because that is Gavin’s strength, using his pace to get in.

‘The surface is quite skiddy and the ball came up and got in between his feet. Sometimes when you have that time, your legs go quicker than your brain.

‘Unfortunately for us and for Gavin i t wasn’t to be, but he’s been excellent throughout the season. He’s scored a lot of important goals and I’m sure he’ll bounce back.’

Yesterday’s 3- 2 aggregate loss brings an end to the season for Fowler’s team, the manager leaving Ibrox with a cheery: ‘ Have a nice summer’ to the assembled media.

Although how enjoyable his close season is may depend on events off the park, with a number of suitors circling around his team.

‘The next few weeks we’ll look to get guys tied up,’ he said. ‘There is interest in the younger ones, but the majority are under 23 so we’d be due compensation for them.

‘If they did decide to move on, then we wish them well but it will have to be at the right price. We don’t want to stand in anyone’s way but it has to be right for all involved.

‘Then we look to sign other people. We’ve got some excellent young players coming through, as well.’

One of those on his way out — in this case back to parent club St Johnstone — is goalkeeper Clark whose brilliant saves kept Queens i n the game during that early onslaught.

‘I think we had Rangers rattled,’ said Clark. ‘ For large spells of the game, we could hear the crowd turning on them. That gave us a lift and I can only imagine it had the opposite effect on them.

‘We had to sustain pressure from them. We knew that was going to be the case and for long spells they were on top.

‘Having managed to keep them out for most of the game, it’s just disappointing to not be able to get the goal and take it to extra-time, which I think we deserved. ‘It’s disappointing to go out. The boys put in a great shift but we just couldn’t get that goal when we needed it at the end.

‘ We had a couple of chances there, a free-kick right at the death, wee half-chances. ‘So disappointment is t he main feeling after t he result.

‘But looking back over the course of the year, it’ s been an incredible season. ‘ It’s nice to make saves but you are hoping you can make them and then go on to win the match.

‘ I will take pride from making some big stops. But it’s no consolation when we’re out of the tie.’