RAITH Rovers manager Grant Murray today warned the Premiership play-off contenders they will have a tough task winning the final.

Falkirk, Hibs, Queen of the South and Rangers are all currently scrapping to secure a spot in the end-of-season series.

The Gers are hoping to finish second - and avoid the first two matches between the third and fourth placed sides.

But former Partick Thistle player Murray, who has faced all of the promotion hopefuls in the 2014/15 campaign, reckons they will have a difficult job going up because he believes the second-bottom team in the Premiership will be extremely difficult for them to overcome.

Both Motherwell and Ross County, who are current second and third bottom in the top flight respectively, have enjoyed a resurgence in form in recent weeks.

Murray said: "It's not necessarily a question of who goes up from the Championship this season. Regardless of who goes into the final, they still have to go and play a Premiership team who will have a winning mentality.

"People are talking about Ross County or Motherwell. Well, it won't be an easy task going to these places.

"Everyone is talking about how Rangers have picked up now and they are getting some great results. They look like a strong team who will finish second.

"Hibs have had a fantastic season, too, in terms of the attacking football they play, and Queen of the South are also keeping themselves in there.

"But it will be hard for whoever goes into the final because the likelihood is they will face a team that has enjoyed a good run of form."

Murray, though, has been impressed with the transformation Rangers have undergone since Stuart McCall took over as manager last month.

He said: "Stuart has come in and rallied them. His players have got a lift. We came up against a side who punished us at every opportunity. They had us on the back foot for most of the game."