QUEEN of the South midfielder Jamie McQuilken thought the First Division side were on their way to Scottish Cup final glory against Rangers on Saturday when the Ibrox stars began arguing with each other after losing their two-goal lead.
Strikes by Kris Boyd and DaMarcus Beasley before the interval at Hampden looked to have dampened the enthusiasm of the Dumfries side.
However, Gordon Chisholm's side roared back with goals from veteran midfielder Steven Tosh and skipper Jim Thomson within eight minutes of the restart.
For several minutes the Light Blues, playing their fourth game in eight days, looked drained.
But the Doonhamers could not get their noses in front and Boyd's second goal of the afternoon, his 25th goal of the season for Rangers, took the cup back to Ibrox.
McQuilken, 33, believes the Palmerston side passed up on a great chance to make history at Hampden by winning the trophy for the first time.
He said: "The boys were gutted after the game and so was I. I don't think we could have had a better chance to beat Rangers to be honest.
"At 2-2 I thought we definitely had them. They looked tired and worried.
"Some of their players were arguing among themselves so we thought we had a right good chance.
"We had an extra spring in our legs but we fell out of it again.
"I think we had to score again within five minutes of us equalising for us to go on and win it.
"But Rangers got the upper hand, got in front again and found that extra yard from somewhere.
"It was always going to be hard getting back again."
McQuilken admits defensive slackness on the day cost the Palmerston club the chance to cause what would have been the biggest cup final shock in decades.
He said: "Losing two goals from set-pieces and one from a defensive error cost us the game.
"You can't give Rangers a two-goals start and expect to win. They didn't get to the UEFA Cup final for nothing. But it's been brilliant cup run.
"The boys have done tremendously well. I am really pleased for the club and especially for the manager Gordon Chisholm.
"He got some stick off the fans at the beginning of the season but he has proved everybody wrong."
Queens' striker Sean O'Connor believes the four-week break between their last league game and the cup final had an affect on the Palmerston side's start.
O'Connor revealed a half-time ear-bashing from Chisholm led to the second-half revival.
He said: "We didn't turn up in the first half but we got a rocket at the break and I thought we came out and did ourselves proud.
"The long break we had didn't help. We had to train for four weeks without playing a competitive game so obviously it takes the edge off everything.
"But we showed that we can play in the second half and got ourselves back in the game.
"Unfortunately a set-piece again cost us. One of the boys lost his man at the corner and it was an uphill battle after that."
ends
However, Gordon Chisholm's side roared back with goals from veteran midfielder Steven Tosh and skipper Jim Thomson within eight minutes of the restart.
For several minutes the Light Blues, playing their fourth game in eight days, looked drained.
But the Doonhamers could not get their noses in front and Boyd's second goal of the afternoon, his 25th goal of the season for Rangers, took the cup back to Ibrox.
McQuilken, 33, believes the Palmerston side passed up on a great chance to make history at Hampden by winning the trophy for the first time.
He said: "The boys were gutted after the game and so was I. I don't think we could have had a better chance to beat Rangers to be honest.
"At 2-2 I thought we definitely had them. They looked tired and worried.
"Some of their players were arguing among themselves so we thought we had a right good chance.
"We had an extra spring in our legs but we fell out of it again.
"I think we had to score again within five minutes of us equalising for us to go on and win it.
"But Rangers got the upper hand, got in front again and found that extra yard from somewhere.
"It was always going to be hard getting back again."
McQuilken admits defensive slackness on the day cost the Palmerston club the chance to cause what would have been the biggest cup final shock in decades.
He said: "Losing two goals from set-pieces and one from a defensive error cost us the game.
"You can't give Rangers a two-goals start and expect to win. They didn't get to the UEFA Cup final for nothing. But it's been brilliant cup run.
"The boys have done tremendously well. I am really pleased for the club and especially for the manager Gordon Chisholm.
"He got some stick off the fans at the beginning of the season but he has proved everybody wrong."
Queens' striker Sean O'Connor believes the four-week break between their last league game and the cup final had an affect on the Palmerston side's start.
O'Connor revealed a half-time ear-bashing from Chisholm led to the second-half revival.
He said: "We didn't turn up in the first half but we got a rocket at the break and I thought we came out and did ourselves proud.
"The long break we had didn't help. We had to train for four weeks without playing a competitive game so obviously it takes the edge off everything.
"But we showed that we can play in the second half and got ourselves back in the game.
"Unfortunately a set-piece again cost us. One of the boys lost his man at the corner and it was an uphill battle after that."
ends
Copyright (c) Press Association
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