Queen of the South’s on-loan striker Bob McHugh is glad that his loan spell from Motherwell is finally beginning to bear fruit in front of goal. The 22-year-old has scored three times in the last two games including the double that gave the Doonhamers a 2-1 advantage in their first leg of their Play-Off Quarter Final against Falkirk on Tuesday night.
McHugh is now hoping for a terrific end to the season by helping the Doonhamers secure promotion to the Premiership next season where they would face a Motherwell side that could finish this campaign in second place
The striker is benefitting from his experiences at Palmerston Park as he said: “I came here for games and the more games I get the better, especially in bigger games like the Play-Offs.”
“I have really enjoyed being here and it has been a good second half of the season for me. I had not scored as many goals as I would have liked until recently but I am starting to put that right. I played a part in getting us into a lead in the play-offs and hopefully I can keep that going and Queen of the South can be promoted.”
The Fir Park striker also scored the goal that sent Cowdenbeath into the relegation Play-Off spot last Saturday and McHugh reckons that goal tells a lot about the spirit that is in the Dumfries squad.
McHugh said: “It was a significant goal at Central Park, and it was unfortunate for them, but that goal showed everyone what the determination is like in our camp. We did not have a lot to play for and we were playing against a team who were looking to avoid the Play-Offs but we were the one pushing and scoring the goal 6 minutes into injury time.”
These experiences are exactly what McHugh went on loan for as the front man explained: “I have another year on my contract at Motherwell and the playing time I get here will help me when I go back there. Hopefully I can get some more goals and we can continue in the Play-Offs. That will stand me in good stead for next season at Fir Park.”
“The standard in the Championship is good. I was expecting it to be high as I know a lot of the boys that play in it and they are all good players. It was a very competitive league to play in and was really tight in the half a season I was playing in it.”
McHugh added: “A lot of League positions had still to be decided on the final day of the season and that made it great for the fans. The Play-Offs have been a great introduction and helped build excitement.”
Motherwell are keeping an eye on McHugh and McHugh is keeping an eye on Motherwell as the striker explained: “Kenny Black the assistant manager has kept in regular contact and I am well aware that Motherwell’s season is going well and they could finish second.”
“The manager Stuart McCall has done a terrific job and it would be great to have a double celebration this weekend of Motherwell finishing second and Queen of the South making the next stage of the Play-Offs against Hamilton.”
The Doonhamers job in qualifying for the Semi-Final of the Play-Offs against Hamilton Accies is only half done and Manager Jim McIntyre is keeping his and everyone else’s feet firmly on the ground.
McIntyre added: “I said earlier in the week that we would be going to the Falkirk Stadium on Saturday with everything still to play for at that is the case. The Play-Offs were the target at the start of the season and we are there but we want to progress and progress.”
Getting to the Semi-Final is now the be all and end all before we even think of a Final. We are good enough to do it and we have shown that against good sides all season. Falkirk have good players and we respect them but we do not fear them. However we know our lead is slender.”
McIntyre of course guided Dunfermline to promotion to the top flight three years ago and he was asked how success with Queen of the South would compare.
“That is a great question as they are two very different scenarios,” said McIntyre before adding: “At Dunfermline they were a big club not long out of the top flight but the job I was expected to do had to have an element of a work in progress. We had to strip a team out and that took us two years because of the cost involved.”
“We looked to bring in really hungry players and it was great to build a side. It was even better for that side to go on and win the First Division. It took us a while but we improved year on year until we got there.”
Conversely McIntyre took over a League and cup winning squad at Queen’s last summer and he said: “I inherited most of the team at Queen of the South and added 3 players for the start of the season. I then brought a couple more in during the window. The squad was in place and used to winning.”
“When I looked at applying for the job last summer I felt that the squad that was there was good enough to challenge for the Play-Offs and that was the goal.”
McIntyre has praised the board at the Dumfries club for helping get his players in top shape for their promotion push with the recent recruitment of the hands-on Davie Laverty has helped his players at the business end of the season.
McIntyre said: “The Board have been excellent and everything I have asked for they have backed me. They went the extra mile to allow us to bring in Mark Kerr back in January and a few weeks ago they allowed me to recruit a masseur in Davie.”
“He has helped us during the run in where he has revitalised tired legs. His recruitment adds an increased level of professionalism as things like a masseur are a matter of course at the biggest clubs.”
“It was important for us to take things up a notch or two as we went for the Play-Offs and hopefully Davie will be helping us for a couple of weeks yet.”
They also allowed me to bring in Ross Hughes as a sports scientist twice a week and on a Saturday. The Board have bought in to what I am trying to do and great credit to them for that.”
The bond between the manager, the board, the club and their fans has grown stronger throughout the season as McIntyre’s men improved month on month.
“We actually finished the first quarter in seventh place and stayed there by the time the second quarter came and went,” said McIntyre before adding: “Performances were good and we were creating chances but not putting them away, however that was not our biggest problem as we were giving goals away easily.”
“Teams did not have to work hard to score against us but December was the month where things started to turn for us. We hit a level of consistency and we added 33 points between December and the end of March.”
McIntyre talked through his run saying: “We beat Dumbarton, drew with Livingston and beat Cowdenbeath before losing to Hamilton. We followed that up with wins over Alloa and Raith Rovers and then a draw with Morton when we had only 9 men.”
“We beat Livingston and Falkirk before losing to Dundee and Falkirk back to back by 1-0. We got over that by beating Dumbarton and then drawing with Hamilton. What was important during that spell was that we never hit a run of losing 3 games in a row. We bounced back really well and that showed a good bit of character.”
“We were turning draws into wins and defeats into draws. It was something we had to do to finish fourth and make the Play-Offs.”
As for winning 2-1 just now and having a foot in the Semi-Finals McIntyre said: “Nothing has been decided this was always going to be a two-legged tie. It is only half-time and there has been nothing between us all season and that remains the case.”
“It is all about who handles this game the best.”
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