BRING IT ON!
Rested Hibs hold no fear for McCall
STUART McCALL last night insisted Rangers won’ t succumb to play- off burnout against a rested Hibs.
His team edged past brave Queen of the South on a 3-2 aggregate after yesterday’s Play- Off quarter-final second leg before a 48,000 crowd at Ibrox, Lee Wallace cancelling out a first-half opener from Derek Lyle.
A home semi-final first-leg clash with Hibs — just back from five days i n Spain — now l i es ahead on Wednesday night.
Adamant that his players won’t be disadvantaged mentally or physically,
despite their rivals having an 18-day break since their last game, McCall vowed: ‘ We have plenty of time to rest and, come Wednesday, we’ll be ready to go.
‘People ask me what I would rather have done. Well, 18 days off until your last game is a bit long — but I’m sure Hibs are recharged and refreshed.
‘I don’t think we’ve picked any injuries up today, which is the crucial thing. The carrot is too big to be tired mentally or physically. We won’t have any tiredness in the ranks.
‘I don’t honestly know where the advantage lies. Not playing for 18 days or having two games.
‘But we go in on the back of good form — defeated once in 17 — and when the big games have come along at the back end of the season, we have stood up.
‘We beat Hearts, we should have beaten Hibs, and we got through against Queens when there have been doubters.
‘ So we go in confidently, but I’m sure Hibs do the same. It will be nervy and tight but we’re looking forward to it.’
After winning the first leg 2- 1, McCall’s side blew a raft of chances before Queens silenced Ibrox with the opening goal in 35 minutes.
Gavin Reilly should have made it 2-0 before Wallace tapped in a Nicky Clark knockdown in 60 minutes.
A goal-line clearance from Haris Vuckic 10 minutes from the end prevented a draining, nerve-ridden period of extra-time.
The Slovenian was the outstanding player on the pitch, and McCall paid tribute to his qualities at both ends of the park.
‘Haris popped up to head it clear. He’s a tall lad, but he’s not great defensively as in picking somebody up. We put him in the hole and once the ball goes over his head, we get him to go back on the line. We actually went through it yesterday, so I’m delighted he did his job and with his all-round performance.
‘We played him in a different role today. We went for a diamond. We changed it round and we got him, certainly in the first half, in good areas of the park.
‘We were positive from the outset and I think over the piece — as much as it was tense in the last 10 minutes — we deserved to go through.’
McCall vowed to use an open letter from the Union of Fans supporters’ group to inspire his players against Hibs in the first leg.
‘I looked at the letter and it’s a fantastic one from the Union Bears. I will use it on Wednesday night. The basis of it was saying it’s a must-win game. It wasn’t a must- win game today. I’m not saying Wednesday is, but a lot of it is good stuff. I had already done what I thought was right for the players today.
‘Listen, it’s a fans’ perspective and we all know how they’re feeling. Hopefully, we sent them home happy today and they will be back on Wednesday with their voices ready to go again.’
With two games coming up, McCall refuses to countenance a Play- Off Final against his f ormer club Motherwell.
But he expressed disappointment with a booking for Darren McGregor which would rule the defender out of the second leg of the Final if Rangers make it.
‘Obviously, we have to get through against Hibs but, if we do, Darren will miss the Final. I’ve talked about this before. Look at the English playoffs. (Bookings are) all cancelled. There was an opportunity for us to do something about it but we didn’t and I think it’s poor and it’s wrong.
‘But we can’t look to that — because we have two tough games against Hibs.’