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Wednesday 3rd May 2023

William Hill Championship

cinch Championship permutations

Every single Gameweek 36 fixture will have an impact on a dramatic final day

After all the incredible excitement the cinch Championship has served up this season, we hope you have left room for one almighty helping of final day drama.

Heading into the final round of fixtures, the destination of the title, the identity of two promotion play-off contenders and the relegation issues are all still alive and kicking.

With nine of the ten teams still having everything to play for, we’ve broken down the impact of each potential result.

The Title – Queen’s Park v Dundee

The simplest of the outstanding matters to explain as it all comes down to a straight shootout for the cinch Championship crown as Queen’s Park host Dundee live on BBC Scotland.

Gary Bowyer’s Dundee hold a two-point advantage heading into the match at Ochilview and they know that victory or a draw will be enough to secure an immediate return to the cinch Premiership.

Meanwhile Owen Coyle’s Spiders know that only three points will do if they are to snatch the title from their opponents and gain a place in the top flight.

Promotion Play-Offs

Four sides remain in contention for the two remaining promotion play-off places heading into GW36.

Partick Thistle and Ayr United currently occupy third and fourth spots respectively with Inverness CT and Greenock Morton hot in pursuit.

Inverness CT v Ayr United

Inverness CT and Ayr United face each other in the Highland capital on Friday with both sides sitting on 55 points having won 15, drawn 10 and lost 10 matches.

Inverness CT win: Inverness qualify for the play-offs

Draw: Both sides would move to 56 points but Ayr’s superior goal difference (+17) compared to the Scottish Cup finalists’ (+6) would see the Honest Men finish ahead.

A draw would leave Ayr anxiously waiting to hear the results of Cove Rangers v Greenock Morton and Raith Rovers v Partick Thistle.

Three points for the ‘Ton would be enough to see them leapfrog Ayr. Partick Thistle have a better goal difference than Ayr and so would need to lose by four goals in Kirkcaldy to fall below Lee Bullen’s team in the play-off race.

Ayr United win: Ayr United qualify for the play-offs

Raith Rovers v Partick Thistle

Kris Doolan’s Jags are in third spot and complete their regular season campaign against the only side in the cinch Championship who can fully relax on this dramatic day.

Raith Rovers will end the campaign in seventh spot regardless of this result, but they can have a say on the promotion picture.

Partick Thistle win: Partick Thistle qualify for the play-offs.

Should Thistle claim three points and Queen’s Park draw or lose against Dundee then the men from Maryhill would end the campaign in second place and earn some extra rest heading into the end of season showdown.

Draw: A point would move Thistle onto 57 points for the campaign.

This result could see them lose third spot should there be a winner in the match between Inverness CT and Ayr United, who would reach 58 points.

The best total Greenock Morton can achieve is 57 points and with Thistle holding a goal difference advantage (+20 to Morton’s +9) – it would require a big swing for that to change.

Raith Rovers win: Thistle would be knocked out the play-offs if Greenock Morton defeat Cove Rangers and there’s a winner in the match between Inverness CT and Ayr United.

Thistle could remain in the play-offs with a defeat should Cove beat Morton or if that match ends in a draw.

Cove Rangers v Greenock Morton

This match has implications at both ends of the table with the hosts battling for Championship survival while the visitors retain hopes of reaching the promotion play-offs.

Cove Rangers win: Three points would ensure Paul Hartley’s men avoid the automatic relegation spot and would end Morton’s play-off hopes. A Cove win would leave them looking for news from Gayfield as they can still overtake the Red Lichties to eighth place.

Draw: This would move Cove to 32 points and leave them at risk of finishing bottom should Hamilton Accies defeat Arbroath. A draw would end Morton’s play-off ambitions as Ayr hold a superior goal difference (+17 vs Morton’s +9).

Greenock Morton win: Victory for Morton would take them to 57 points and they would await the results of Raith Rovers v Partick Thistle and Inverness CT v Ayr United.

A draw between Inverness CT and Ayr would see Morton finish above both these sides and earn a play-off spot. Should there be a winner in the match between Inverness and Ayr, then due to goal difference, Morton would realistically require Raith Rovers to defeat Partick Thistle in order to qualify for the play-offs.

Battle for Survival – Arbroath v Hamilton Accies

It’s 8th v 10th at Gayfield in what is a huge matchup at the foot of the table.

Arbroath win: Victory would guarantee Arbroath another season of cinch Championship football and would confirm that Hamilton would be relegated to cinch League 1.

Draw: A share of the spoils would leave Arbroath on 34 points and Accies on 31. Both sides would then be listening out for the Cove Rangers v Greenock Morton result.

Arbroath’s goal difference (-18) is favourable to Cove’s (-36) and so a point should be enough for the Angus men to remain in the league even if Cove defeat Morton. Should Accies claim a point then they’ll be hoping that Morton emerge victorious at the Balmoral Stadium as their goal difference (-32) is better than Cove’s and would see John Rankin’s team avoid automatic relegation.

Hamilton win: Should Hamilton win then the only result which could deny them 9th place and a shot at the play-offs would be if Cove Rangers defeated Greenock Morton. Hamilton’s goal difference is inferior to Arbroath (-32 vs -18) and so they realistically can’t overtake the Red Lichties.