Grant Murray has called on Queens stars to serve up a demolition derby – to prove they are ready for a huge season ahead.
Palmerston No.2 Murray wants Queens to smash a wrecking ball through Annan’s defence in the Premier Sports Cup Group F opener tomorrow.
He reckons getting off to a flier in the cup will help Queens prepare for a promotion pushing season in League One.
Grant said: “It will be tough game and it’s the first competitive one. Everyone wants to start the season well and set their stall out.
“The league is most important but you want a good cup run. It’s got that slight edge because it’s a derby.
“It’s a great game to start the season with. We respect Annan and they are a very good side. We know at this time of the season anything can happen in games.
“Annan have had a hard pre-season and they’ll be wanting to start well.”
And while the group stage may have been used by some clubs as an extension of pre-season in the past, boss Wullie Gibson and this new-look Queens side are determined to progress.
Murray said: “We don’t underestimate the group.
“We have some tough games starting with the derby against Annan then Ayr during the week, before facing a Premiership side in St Johnstone and the journey to Elgin.
“Tough, tough games but they are ones we want to win. It builds momentum if you can win cup ties as well.
“We’re going into a competitive game, it’s not a pre-season game for us.”
Murray hopes a solid Premier Sports Cup showing will give the squad a psychological boost as they head into the League One campaign.
He said: “You want to hit the ground running and get a bit of momentum.
“For any team who is going to have a good season, then you want to get off to a solid start.
“We’ve not set any targets or sat down with them so far. But the players go into competitive games wanting to win them. Every game is winnable on the day, it’s how we apply ourselves, we’re no different from anyone in the group that we are in.”
