BY ALAN TEMPLE – @CCP_Sport
MARK MILLAR reckons Queen of the South have already made a mockery of claims the Championship is guaranteed to be a two-horse race.
The Dumfries men were handed what appeared to be a nightmare start to the season, with a trip to face Dundee United to open their league campaign before a Betfred Cup clash against league favourites Hibernian.
However, they upset the odds by emerging unbeaten from both encounters, with a 1-1 draw at Tannadice before a stunning 3-1 win in the capital.
Millar is used to Queens being ignored and believes they have already done their talking on the pitch.
He said: “Just like every other game against Hibs over the last couple of years, no-one expected us to get anything against them – just like no-one gave us a chance against Dundee United.
“You are looking at the papers and TV and it is all about Hibs and Dundee United – there is nothing about Queen of the South.
“I think we’ve proved a bit of a point. People seem to think that because of their name Dundee United and Hibs will just beat everyone in this league, but it is not as simple as that when you step onto the pitch.”
However, Millar is acutely aware that all of Queens’ good work will count for nothing if they fluff their lines against Ayr United.
Having thrived as underdogs against United and Hibs, the Doonhamers are fully expected to claim all three points against Ian McCall’s newly promoted side at Palmerston Park.
Millar continued: “People will expect us to win and we need to live up to those expectations and rise to a different challenge.
“But the manager will make sure there is no let-up from the boys. He believed we would win that game on Tuesday night, he said before the game ‘I don’t care what anyone says, I’ll be disappointed if we don’t win this game’.
“The gaffer has a lot of belief in us and demands the highest standards to go along with that, so that’ll be no different on Saturday.”
