SCOTTISH CUP FINAL: WALTER SMITH yesterday conceded that, even with 30 years of coaching experience, he may not be able to lift Rangers' players for the Scottish Cup final, which has a 3pm kick-off at Hampden Park (Sky Sports Xtra).

Today's meeting with Queen of the South comes less than 48 hours after Rangers lost 2-0 at Aberdeen at the same time as Celtic's victory over Dundee United ensured a third Premier League title in succession for Gordon Strachan's team.

So having also been defeated in the Uefa Cup final 10 days ago, Rangers have seen a potential quadruple trophy haul disappear amid a late-season collapse.

The Scottish Cup may yet join the League Cup in the Ibrox trophy cabinet but a sense of failure remains apparent among Smith's squad. When asked how he could rouse his players for this afternoon's encounter the manager replied: "I'm not quite sure, I have got to say. I don't think anybody could share the experience with us of having to play a cup final after having a match less than 48 hours beforehand. There is nothing you can do to take away the disappointment, the feeling of failure. It won't be easy."

Queens, by striking comparison, have not played a competitive match since April 26th.  Guardian Service