Motherwell priced against sorry Saints

Motherwell are pick of the day today and we’ll go in strong with a 3 point stake @ 11/10. St Johnstone missing two key players after being dismissed last week, but they are already one of the league’s poorest teams – home win.

To complete a Tasty Treble we have to look to the handicap market. Falkirk have a new young management team and a squad too strong for this league. Stranraer are at best inconsistent and at worst cannon fodder so we can expect a comfortable win for Falkirk here and will take them giving Stranraer a one goal start.

Well do the same with Cove Rangers away to Anna. They are still dominating games to ridiculous levels, (33 shots on goal last week).

To make a 4 fold, Forfar are still better than their position and their new management team may start the turnaround today at home to Peterhead. 11/5 is worth the chance.

Another outsider could make a large priced 5 fold. Elgin are dominant at home but Stirling are also strong and 17/5 is worth a punt.

Two small well priced punts to finish – Montrose at home and Dumbarton away, both too generously priced.

In summary:

3 points – Motherwell @ 11/10
2 points – Falkirk – 1 @ 4/5
2 points – Cove Rangers @ 4/5
2 points – Forfar @ 11/5
1 point – Stirling @ 17/5
0.5 points – Montrose @ 12/5
0.5 points – Dumbarton @ 3/1

Saints Alive!

Well maybe. Here starts a run of games which gives St Mirren a clear opportunity of revival and starts with a crunch battle against Ross County today. If we discount Saints latest 5-2 reversal at Tynecastle, then their performances have been far stronger than Ross County. The doubt is whether the Tynecastle performance was a one off, I guess we will find out today. However I would expect a good reaction, and the expected return of their Talisman Kyle McAllister should provide a boost.

To complete the Tasty Treble we head to the minefield of the Scottish Cup. However two odds on favourites are strongly fancied. Edinburgh City are at home to a fairly poor Annan side, they should be strong favourites and 5/6 is good value. Lastly, we warily trod down to the perennial scalp hunters at Auchinleck but will be rewarded for our risk by a 3/4 asking price for an Arbroath side who sit in the top half of Scottish Footballs second tier. This should be a step too far for the Ayrshire runts.

Aberdeen would have made the Tasty Treble but I’ve left them out as their game is not till tomorrow. We will be taking them though at 6/5 – I think odds on would be more appropriate.

To complete a Saturday 4 or 5 fold, Inverness are fancied at home to Dundee in the Championship, and Hearts are a bit too generously priced away to Kilmarnock. Lest not forget Kilmarnock are a bottom six team in disguise, and with Hearts having Naismith back, and some critical injuries for Killie, 12/5 is too much.

I’m also taking a few small punts on some other well priced outsiders in the Scottish Cup – Forfar, Broxbrun and Elgin – hopefully one of them will come up.

That’s all folks! Good luck!

2 points – St Mirren @ 7/5
2 points – Edinburgh City @ 5/6
2 points – Arbroath @ 3/4
1 point – Aberdeen @ 6/5
1 point – Inverness @ 29/20
1 point – Hearts @ 11/5
0.5 points – Forfar @ 5/2
0.5 points – Broxburn @ 18/5
0.5 points – Elgin @ 16/5

Stirling Albacon on a roll

Well not quite.. but despite a late goal handing them defeat at Cove, I expect Stirling to continue their recovery and get a win at home to Anna today.

That’s our pick of the day and not a lot else in the depleted Scottish Leagues on an International weekend.

However we can find some more value. Cove Rangers stuttered somewhat against the aforementioned Stirling last week but we can expect normal service to resume against Brechin. The arrival of Mark Wilson has not seen the bounce that may have been anticipated and they are leaking goals. Hard to find value but Cove Rangers and over 3.5 goals looks the best bet as both teams play an open style.

To complete a Tasty Treble we can actually look to our very own Bonny Scotland. Although I’ve just seen the team and it looks far from our strongest line up, 11/8 is a good price for a team we really should be big favourites against. Cyprus will also oplen up more at home and probably fancy their chances which will help us.

Lastly, as an outsider, Dumbarton are worth a small risk at 6’s.

** Late addition – Cowdenbeath have drifted to 5/2..

In summary:

2 points – Stirling @ 5/4
2 points – Cove Rangers + Over 3.5 goals @ 4/5
1 point – Scotland @ 11/8
1 point – Cowdenbeath @ 5/2
0.5 points – Dumbarton 6/1

Highland Sows ** late additions!!

Picks have a heavy Teucter influence with 4 of the 5 fold coming from the north. To start off, Dundee Utd can follow up their previous 6-2 mauling of Dundee with a win across the road tonight. They have thrown out a few concerning results lately but the 6/4 price is just about enough to make them worth a punt.

The Tasty Treble will come from tommorrows picks though. Hearts have been dire at home, but with Levein gone and Naismith back they should be smaller than even money – even against a stuffy St Mirren who have been no pushovers for anyone. Invverness should get back to winning ways away to Arbroath – for me their 11/10 price makes them pick of the day.

To complete a Tasty Treble we’re going to jump on the Cove Rangers procession to the title. Although I took Edinburgh City at the start of the season and they are still neck-in-neck, in reality Cove Rangers are blowing teams away week after week. There’s no value in a win, but we’ll go for Cove -1 even at short odds of 6/10 against an improving Stirling side.

To complete a fancied five-fold, bottom of the table Forfar are a big price at 7/2. They are better than their position and with Jim Weir departing we may see the start of a bounce.

Lastly, for an outside bet, Livingston will probably give a good account of themselves at home to a Rangers side just coming off a tough European fixture. 12/1 is worth a small risk.

In detail:

1 point – Dundee Utd @ 6/4
2 points – Hearts @ evens
2 points – Inverness @ 11/10
2 points – Cove Rangers -1 @ 6/10
1 point – Forfar @ 7/2
0.5 points Livingston @ 12/1

Late additions!!

1 point – Aberdeen @ 10/11
1 point – Clyde @ 5/4
1 point – Patrick @ evens
0.5 points – Alloa @ 17/4

Queens Pork Pulled

Queens Park finally drop off the pick list! About time perhaps. The importance of getting in early demonstrated again with Queens Park being backed out of value and finally being pulled from the weekend shortlist. Kiss of life no doubt but Roberts, (ex-Kilmarnock stalwart David Fowlers mate), is under pressure there now, and 9/5 is not enough. Same goes for Edinburgh City who have been backed in from evens to 1/2.

So we look higher for our Tasty fix for the weekend. Livingston have outperformed expectations but they have a number of injuries today. Really you’d expect Motherwell to take care of a full strength Livingston at home so 5/4 make them the pick of the day for me. Like Livingston, Kilmarnock have been somewhat punching above their weight of late and getting a few narrow wins, but they are without the core of their defence today. So Aberdeeen at 19/20 makes a Premiership double. To complete the Tasty Treble, Annan aren’t up to much this year and with a long journey up to Elgin, the hosts can expect to keep their recent momentum going with a home win. So we’ll take Elgin at evens.

For a 4 fold add Stirling Albion at home to Albion Rovers. Rovers have collapsed somewhat of late and Stirling have been unlucky for a few weeks with a number of draws and close defeats. For a high five take the impressive Clyde to continue their form down at Stranraer.

In the league cup, I can’t see Hibs troubling Celtic who are rightly as short as 1/5 but you can get 11/5 on the the BTTS market which is tempting for a cup match.

There are a few other longer odd shots that are worth smaller wagers – Forfar, Cowdenbeath, Dumbarton and Alloa complete the line up.

Good luck folks!

The line up:

2 points – Motherwell @ 5/4
1 point – Abrerdeen @ 19/20
1 point – Elgin @ Evens

1 point – Stirling Albion @ 10/11
1 point – Clyde @ 4/5

1 point – Celtic BTTS @ 11/5
0.5 points – Forfar @ 5/1
0.5 points – Cowdenbeath @ 11/2
1 point – Dumbarton @ 5/2
1 point – Alloa @ 27/10