DJ: Crashing Hearts title party will boost play-off chances for Rangers

Nothing less than outright victory will do if the Ibrox club are to finish second in the SPFL Championship and avoid the quarter-finals of the Premiership play-offs.

That is the sort of positive attitude that Stuart McCall's side should take out on to the pitch.

The Jambos will be getting presented with the trophy, their fans will be ecstatic and the stadium will be bouncing.

However, Rangers have to focus fully on the job they have to do. They are certainly good enough to spoil the title party

If you look back to the last time Rangers played at Tynecastle back in November, they weren't performing particularly well.

But they were the better side in the first half - both before and after Stevie Smith got sent off. So they can compete. No doubt about it.

McCall's team showed that in the last game with Robbie Neilson's side at Ibrox. They were 2-0 up and coasting until Lee McCulloch got himself sent off.

If they play the way they did last time - and keep all 11 players on the park - then they can definitely win the match.

It is win or bust for Rangers and, hopefully, we will see the character of the players coming to the fore.

It may not be quite enough to win. Hibs could defeat Falkirk and clinch second spot, but they have to give their all regardless.

A victory would mean Rangers would go into the play-offs, whether it is at the quarter-final or semi-final stage, on a high.

You can understand why Hibs were relegated last year. They were on a huge downer in the last few months of the season.

Hamilton, meanwhile, were winning games and were on the up. In the end, they went through after a penalty shoot-out.

So it would be good if Rangers could win and go into the play-offs - even if it is in the quarter-finals against Queen of the South - on a high.

Fans are concerned about Rangers having to go and play Queens at Palmerston Park and rightly so. They have lost 2-0 and 3-0 down in Dumfries this season.

But I think Stuart had his eyes opened that night. He saw that his side had the majority of possession - only to be punished on the counter-attack.

He has learned from that. He has admitted his side will approach a match on the artificial turf down there in a different manner.

If they do play Queens in the quarters, then it will be a different Rangers team.

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