Queens are in cup semi final action tonight as they travel to Cove Rangers in the SPFL Trust Trophy.
The Palmerston side boosted their Championship survival hopes with a huge victory away at Ayr United at the weekend and while the semi will be a welcome distraction for manager Wullie Gibson he knows they can’t take their eyes off the main prize.
He said: “Obviously we want to do well in the league as that is our bread and butter and we want to do everything we can to stay in the Championship, but it will be a healthy distraction.
“It is a chance to get to a cup final and as a player you want to get to play in finals, play in front of bigger crowds, win trophies and medals.
“We will go there and as always under me we will have a go. We are creating chances, being positive going forward and having a go at teams and this game will be no different.”
The two sides have already met in cup competition this season, drawing their Scottish Cup tie in the north east before the League One side knocked Queens out of the cup with a 3–0 victory in the replay at Palmerston.
Gibson said: “We went up there and were minutes away from winning, we had Roberto sent off and they ended up nicking an equaliser.
“But when they came down to us, they played us off the park, we were second to every ball and they had better quality in the final third so we know what we are going to be up against but we will go and impose our game on them and may the best team win.”
That was something echoed by new Queens captain, Josh Todd, who received a contract extension last week until 2023.
He said: “It’s a big game against a team that are doing well, they’ve got experienced players but we have momentum. We have had a mental change too so we go into it, not shackles free, but it is a semi-final and a change from the league, so we have a chance to express ourselves. We just have to give it our best, it’s a one-off game so if we go into it with that mentally and go out for the win, who is to say you can’t win it?”
Queens make the trip on the back of a draw against league leaders Arbroath and the win over Ayr. Having taken four points from six under Gibson and Grant Murray, the boss was delighted with the attitude shown by his side at Somerset Park.
He said: “We created chances and were unlucky not to win by two or three and it brings Ayr back into it.
“We have taken three points in a derby which is brilliant and sends everyone home happy. We could have been more clinical and when it’s at 1-0 there is an element of nerves, but the boys dug in and put their bodies on the line and to a man they were brilliant.”
Aidan Fitzpatrick, who scored the winner, said: “It’s not been easy the last few months, it’s a huge result because we’ve not been doing that, taking points off the teams round about us but it is a good win and a start.
"It is now two clean sheets in a row so it’s something to build on.”
Tonight’s game has a 7.30pm kick off and is live on BBC Alba.
