Queen of the South boss describes SPFL Trust Trophy semi-final as "welcome distraction"

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