Scottish Football / Total Goals Guys / 22 May 2008 /

Morale in the Rangers camp must be as low as it's been for some time after they were beaten in the UEFA Cup Final by Zenit St Petersburg and squandered their lead in the SPL. They must now salvage the dregs of their season by beating lower league opposition in Saturday's cup final at Hampden.

It's one of the major stories of the Scottish game this year. First Division Queen of the South will take on SPL giants Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden this Saturday. It's the Palmerston Park sides' first appearance in the final in their 89 year long history and the achievement has been rewarded with a guaranteed place in Europe next season. But is taking the famous old trophy back home to Dumfries just a fairy tale?

The Doonhamers, [7.0] to lift the trophy, finished a respectable 4th in what was a very competitive Irn-Bru Scottish League First Division Championship this season and reaching the final has secured the clubs first competitive foray into Europe. Rangers have to pick themselves up from falling at the final hurdle in the SPL title race however whilst remaining a very slim [1.15] to lift their 32nd Scottish Cup.

Queen of the South have been in fine form en route to the final with their run culminating in that magnificent 4-3 victory over Aberdeen in the Semi-Final at Hampden. Queens' took the lead four times in what was a great test of character and the match itself must have been a real money spinner for in-play match odds traders. It was also the first of their five Scottish Cup ties this season in which they have conceded a goal.

Their journey began back in November with a 3rd Round 5-0 triumph away at 2nd Division Peterhead - no mean feat given the 500 mile round trip required. This effort was rewarded with a home tie against Junior outfit Linlithgow Rose and they were also easily dispatched in a 4-0 win. The 5th round draw threw up a tricky away tie with Greenock Morton with a 2-0 victory at Cappielow resulting in an all 1st Division Quarter Final. Here eventual league runners-up Dundee were also defeated by two goals to nil.

Ranger's route to Mt. Florida started emphatically at Ibrox with a 4th Round 6-0 battering of East Stirling but it's fair to say they have stuttered somewhat in getting to their 1st Scottish Cup Final in five years. A goalless draw at Hibs forced a 5th round replay at Ibrox where Rangers just sneaked through thanks to a solitary strike from Chris Burke. The Quarter Final brought Glasgow rivals Partick Thistle to Govan and the 1st Division side earned a deserved replay after a 1-1 draw. The visitors came good in the re-match and a 2-0 win set up a semi-final meeting with St Johnstone. This time the tie required extra time and penalties and despite scraping through it was clear the number of games Rangers have had this season was beginning to take its toll.

This is of course Queen of the South's first appearance in the Scottish Cup Final but Rangers have an excellent record in the competition, lifting the trophy 31 times. More recently The Gers have reached the final five times in the last decade and their only defeat came in 1998 when a Hearts side who pushed the Old Firm all the way in the League got their hands on some silverware the same season with a 2-1 victory at Celtic Park.

When you look at both the recent and long term history of both clubs this really is a game of David and Goliath proportions and it would certainly be Roy of the Rovers stuff if Queen of the South could lift the trophy on Saturday. They are [11.0] in the match odds and the draw is also a big priced [5.9] so the layers could be out to sting Rangers backers who take on the skinny [1.33].
I anticipate a Rangers win but it could well be one by the slimmest of margins. Rangers threw away the SPL title in many respects and go into the Hampden showpiece in a similarly dazed fashion to Celtic in 2005. Ironically Queens' boss Gordon Christie was in temporary charge of Dundee United that day and the 1-0 victory was anything but convincing. It was as flat a cup final victory as you will see with ant-climax being a huge understatement as lifting the Scottish Cup in no way makes up for missing out on the Championship. I expect something similar in this years final.

Rangers have struggled in front of goal recently and Spanish striker Nacho Novo has added to this problem as he is suspended after receiving a straight red card at Pittodrie on Thursday evening. There are a few big prices based on a Rangers struggle and I like the look of Draw/Rangers at [4.6] in the Half Time/Full Time Market. Like in 2005 I doubt there will be many goals and Under 2.5 goals appeals at [2.26] and I suspect this may well drop in-play, giving scope for a possible trade.

A narrow Rangers victory doesn't pay out well on the match odds market but a closer look at the Asian Handicap Market could be of interest. If the Doonhamers do prove tricky opponents then backing Queen of the South +1.5 at around [2.5] or perhaps the more secure +1.5, +2.0 split could prove to be a wise move.

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