KENNY MILLER reckons Rangers can boost their chances of clinching top flight promotion by beating champions Hearts - even if they fail to secure second spot.

Miller and his Gers team mates are desperate to win at Tynecastle tomorrow and finish runners-up in the SPFL Championship this season.

Because that will mean they avoid the Premiership Play-Off quarter-finals against Queen of the South - a team they have struggled badly against this term.

But to book a semi-final place they need to win through in Edinburgh - and hope that Hibs either draw or lose to Falkirk away.

It is not an ideal scenario for Stuart McCall's side, who dropped two vital points to Peter Houston's team, at this stage in what has been a demanding campaign.

However, Miller believes a win against Robbie Neilson's side on the day they are presented with the second tier trophy will be important psychologically.

And the striker believes they will go into the play-off matches with confidence - if they can spoil their rivals' title party.

He said: "What happens tomorrow is out of our hands to a degree. We just have to do our jobs and if we get the right result in the other game then we will be delighted.

"We will save ourselves a couple of games. Whatever happens, whether we have to go through four games or six games to win promotion, it is in our hands still.

"We have to make sure we are well prepared and ready for the games when they come along. We have known for a long time we were going to be involved in the play-offs.

"If it had been nip and tuck between ourselves, Hearts and Hibs for the league and we didn't quite get there in the end and had to go into the play-offs then we might have been on a bit of a downer.

"But we have known for a long time this is the route we were going to have to go down and we are ready for it."

Miller added: "It would be better if we could finish second. We have to make sure we take care of our business on Saturday. After that it will be four cup finals or six cup finals.

"It will be a fantastic occasion for Hearts. We are used to those sort of days at Rangers. We are normally on the other side of it.

"Producing another good performance against Hearts and getting another good result will give us a good platform to go into the play-offs on."

Miller was bitterly disappointed when out-of-sorts Rangers could only draw 2-2 with Scottish Cup finalists Falkirk at Ibrox last weekend.

But he is optimistic their supporters, some of whom turned on captain Lee McCulloch, will see a stark improvement against Hearts.

He said: "You always hope for that. It's not as if a disappointing result and performance is something new to us this year.

"We have definitely not reached the level of consistency we would have liked throughout the season.

"We have had to do this a lot this season; bounce back from draws and defeats either at home or away. We have had indifferent results over the course of a season.

"It is important now we get into the right frame of mind - starting on Saturday. It is a fantastic game to be involved in. There will, as there always is at Tynecastle, be a great atmosphere.

"I think all the games against Hearts this season have been close. The difference between the two teams has been the level of consistency.

"The level of consistency they have shown has been fantastic and obviously they are deserved champions.

"It is up to us now that we are ready to go up through the play-offs."

The last time Rangers played Hearts through in Tynecastle back in November it was a bad-tempered encounter and Stevie Smith was ordered off in the first half.

Miller also injured Kevin McHattie with a crunching tackle and his fellow forward Kris Boyd was lucky to stay on the field after a challenge on Brad McKay.

However, the 35-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the season, is confident there will be no repeat of that fiery clash tomorrow.

He said: "Stevie's tackle wasn't a great tackle. But was it worthy of a red card? Maybe, maybe not. I think if you asked 10 referees five would have said yes and five would have said no.

"When I went in for my tackle there was obviously passion there and we were pumped full of adrenaline. But, for me, there was no malice in it at all.

"If you look back at it you can see that I actually won the ball. Yes, it was a heavy tackle, but you are going to get those in football. I have been on the end of a lot of them in my career.

"For my part, I can say I was fully in control. I knew exactly what I was doing. It was a shame the lad picked up an injury as a result.

"But I did go and see him straight away after the game. I saw Craig Levein standing there and asked how he was. They were that elated with the win they weren't that bothered.

"But I did put my hands up and say: 'I hope he's okay'. You never want to see that happen. I have never gone out to deliberately injure any fellow professional.

"When you get a red card early and another couple of hefty tackles go in things probably flare up a little bit. But, to be honest, I don't think there was much in any of the tackles. I am sure this game will be different."