Hibs captain David Gray has dismissed the notion that his side has an advantage over Rangers because of their Scottish Cup final opponents’ lack of match practise as they head to Hampden today.

The 28-year-old full-back leads a team that is seeking to make history at the national stadium by ending the 114 year wait for glory that has seen his club fail in 10 finals since their last victory in the tournament.

They have also had to recover from the setback of losing out in the Premiership play-offs for the third successive year and the only silver lining could be that they kept the edge on their game during those cut-throat matches while Rangers have had a three week lay-off.

Hibs manager Alan Stubbs has suggested that Rangers could struggle to be up to pace, saying of that break: “I don’t think it’s ideal for a team.”

However Gray reckons that will not be a factor this afternoon.

“I think games like this just take care of themselves,” he said.

“Both teams are desperate to win and I think it’s just going to come down to that, I don’t think it’s down to the fact that they’ve had this to prepare, we’ve had that to prepare… that’s irrelevant. It’s going to come down to who turns up and who wants it more on the day.”

Hibs’ desperation to lift the trophy could go either way, particularly in a season that has already brought near misses with defeat in the League Cup final and that play-off disaster which was all the more painful because of the way it happened with Falkirk scoring the latest of decisive goals last weekend.

The occasion could overwhelm them but may also inspire them and Rangers’ former Hibs striker Kenny Miller has said this week that he and his team-mates “do not want to go down in history as the one they won it against.”

While that could be interpreted as suggesting that the possibility of being remembered for the wrong things is preying on Rangers’ minds at the end of what has been a memorable season for the club, Gray reckons it merely reflects the mutual respect that has built between the teams in the course of the past two seasons.

“It’s maybe because they know we’re a good side, the same as we know they’re a good side,” Gray suggested.

“We’ve shown this season we can beat them and they’ve beaten us, so I don’t think him saying it is because they don’t want to be that team, I think it’s more because it is a possibility, the same as there is a possibility that we can not win it because Rangers are a good side.

“It’s just a case of who turns up on the day and who performs.”

Gray is acutely aware that judgement of a Hibs season that has seen them play close to the maximum number of matches in their three major competitions is now entirely dependent on this one match.

“Having not been promoted, which was the main objective, we’ve now got the chance to end the season on a high and it’s important we try to do that,” he said.

“So that’s the main motivation for us as players that we’ve had a real good season but we need to make sure we end it on a high, go away for the summer and come back the season after having a successful season.

“You’ve not done anything until you actually achieve something so it’s good enough to put yourself in these positions, but we have to make sure we finish on a high.”