LEANNE CRICHTON was pleased to see her side book a Scottish Cup final spot this afternoon.
On a day the Gers weren’t at their fluent best, a second half brace from half time substitute Katie Wilkinson fired Rangers into the Old Firm showpiece matchup at the end of the month.
Speaking to RangersTV to reflect on the win at the National Stadium, she said: “Overriding feeling? Probably relief based on the performance if I am being honest.
“Look I am delighted, for us to get to another cup final this season is a remarkable achievement based on where we were at the early part of the season and how difficult it looked like it was going to be.
“Based on the performance I think relief is how I am feeling today.
“It was a tricky performance; I don't want to be moaning about us and disregarding our opponent.
“I felt Montrose were excellent and we knew they were always going to make it really difficult coming here.
“A really physical side, a one-off opportunity for them to try and get a cup final I thought they were excellent.
“They made our job really difficult but we also added to that today as well and how we moved the ball and went about our business.
“The reality is two big moments in the second half, set pieces, Wilko's header off the corner and obviously the penalty really late on allows to go and progress and something now we can park it.
“We are delighted that we are there, we can look forward to that, but we really need to get back to the drawing board if we want to go and push this season and get as far as we think we can get we need to do much better.”
The Light Blues boss praised her side for pushing on and going again after a demanding week, having lost multiple players due to injury on Wednesday evening and having to rotate the lineup this afternoon.
She continued: “It has been another massive week. We came off the disappointment against Hearts with the bounce back and going and winning against Hibs.
“A really tough physical game lost a couple of players off the back of that as well.
“Which we have had to do this season, again once you think you are getting players back and you have got a full squad that changes within 24 hours.
“Again it was a bit of freshness to the group today, we tried to do that and freshen things up to give us that energy that we felt we needed.
“We know it is about winning, absolutely, these games at this stage of the season I would much rather be standing here having this conversation knowing that we are into a cup final, but I do feel we have got standards and values in that dressing room and within that group that we can do much better than we did today.
“I reality is we are there and we look forward to that.”
The former Scotland international now can’t wait for the Old Firm final to roll around, with attention now switching back to league action for the final three outings of the campaign.
She added: “It is brilliant, it is great and hopefully the fans can turn out that day.
“A great way to go and sign the season off. I always felt as a player and looking back on your career and that last game regardless of how well the season has gone or what's been won and lost at that point.
“If it is the last game before your summer break it can certainly make it or break.
“I know for us that is how we'll feel about it, we have got so much work to do and so much to get through before we get to that point.
“We will look forward to it as I say, it is in the calendar.
“We are delighted we are there and we can put that to bed and really turn our focus back to league duties now and looking at the group and how young they are as well and speak about that experience and in experience we need to try and blend that as much as we possibly can now.
“Get the right mix and try come through these next three games as well as we possibly can and make sure that we are ready for that game as well come the 31 May.”
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