RANGERS have no plans to train on a synthetic surface ahead of the first leg of their SPFL Premiership play-off quarter-final against Queen of the South this weekend.

The Ibrox side have lost twice this season on the Dumfries side's artificial pitch, going down 2-0 in December and then 3-0 last month in what was their first defeat under manager Stuart McCall. Those results would seem to give Queens a psychological advantage going into the sides' meeting on Saturday but McCall revealed he would not try to make his players more comfortable on that type of surface by practising on a similar pitch over the coming week, having done so to no avail ahead of the last meeting between the teams.

"We trained on the artificial surface at Murray Park before we went down to Palmerston the last time - and we ended up losing 3-0," said McCall. "So it didn't exactly help us, and being superstitious, I think it's fair to say we won't be doing that this time!

"We'll train this week, we'll put a plan in position, and we won't go there with any negative thoughts. There will be no psychological effect going down there, that's for sure.

"We are going in against a good side but we have some good players who can create opportunities and we'll be confident over the two legs of progressing - as, I'm sure, Queen of the South will.

"On the team bus coming back from Tynecastle [after Rangers' 2-2 draw with Hearts on Saturday], I was looking at the team they fielded and I see they rested three or four players against Livingston. But we have plenty of time to analyse them before next Saturday. We will be organised and ready for what we know will be a tough game."

McCall revealed after the 3-0 loss to Queens last month that, should Rangers need to go back to Palmerston in the play-offs, he would perhaps line his team up in a more defensive-minded fashion. With the return leg to follow at Ibrox the following weekend, he again hinted that the onus on Saturday may not be on all-out attack.

"We have to remember it's a tie over 180 minutes," he added. "I don't expect the tie to be over one way or another after Saturday's first game."

McCall took some comfort from Rangers' performance at Tynecastle despite the late concession of two goals that denied his team a victory. With Hibernian winning at Falkirk, however, the loss of two points ultimately proved incidental.

"We'd have been sick if we'd come off and learned that Hibs had lost but we knew that they were winning 3-0, so ultimately the result didn't change anything. But that doesn't change the fact that it was a game we should have seen out. Overall though, it was a performance that stands us in good stead for another very difficult game next Saturday. For us to get to where we want to be, we are going to have six tough games. We'll look forward to next Saturday on the back of a strong, positive performance against a good side."