McCoist gutted by cup exit

Published Sep. 19, 2012 3:15 a.m. ET

foxsports

Ally McCoist denied Rangers' dramatic Ramsdens Cup exit at the hands of Queen of the South was a wake-up call for his players.

The Light Blues have suffered a number of disappointing results so far this season and have yet to win a game away from home in the Third Division.

But Second Division leaders Queens went a step further by inflicting Rangers' first defeat of the campaign following a tense penalty shoot-out at Ibrox after the third round tie remained deadlocked at 2-2 after extra-time.

McCoist said: "I don't think it's a wake-up call. It's a big disappointment.

"If any of the team were needing a wake-up call, then I hope that's it tonight, that's for sure.

"It's certainly not a wake-up call for me - it's just a massive disappointment.

"We were all aware of how difficult the game would be against a good Queen of the South side who are doing well in the league and who knocked Hibs out of the League Cup.

"We were aware of how difficult the game was going to be so it's a big disappointment for me.

"If any the boys were needing a wake-up call, I hope that's it, but I don't think they were to be honest."

Nicky Clark opened the scoring for Queen of the South, before Barrie McKay levelled and Lee McCulloch netted from the penalty spot.

The visitors then forced the tie into extra-time thanks to Gavin Reilly's strike deep into injury-time, which was allowed to stand despite furious claims of offside by Rangers players.

McCoist added: "It's a sore one, that's for sure.

"It's really, really disappointing to get beat and knocked out in the manner we did.

"I'm not sure there was an awful lot between the teams.

"I thought we'd probably done enough to hold on when we got the second goal and we were down to 10 men so I was disappointed with the manner in which we lost the goal as well.

"I haven't seen it again but a couple of the boys were telling me it was our throw-in and that the lad looked a yard offside. But, that aside, we should probably still be defending it a bit better."

Both teams finished the match with 10 men as substitute Kevin Kyle saw red for Rangers after just 13 minutes on the park and Willie Gibson was also sent off for the Dumfries side.

Asked about Kyle's dismissal, McCoist said: "There didn't look to be a lot in it to me and Kev says the same.

"I haven't seen it again but sometimes you get the decisions and tonight we definitely didn't."

Queen of the South manager Allan Johnston did not feel his old club underestimated the threat posed by his players.

The former Gers midfielder said: "Definitely not, they definitely prepared right for us.

"I know for a fact they had us watched and didn't underestimate us.

"I'm just delighted for our boys. With the effort they put in throughout the whole game, I think they got their just rewards come the end of the match."