cinch Championship – Cove Rangers v Queen’s Park (Friday 4th November)
The BBC Scotland cameras make their first appearance at the Balmoral Stadium this evening, as both of last season’s League 1 promotion winners square off in a mouth-watering fixture.
Cove Rangers were absolutely phenomenal last season. They stormed to the League 1 title, losing just 3 of their 36 league games and scoring 73 goals in the process. It appeared they were destined to be challenging at the upper reaches of the Championship table this season but that hasn’t been the case. Cove are currently sat in 8th place, with just 3 wins from their opening 13 fixtures. Scoring goals doesn’t seem to be too much of an issue but keeping them out of the net is an entirely different problem. The Toonsers have conceded 24 goals so far - the joint highest in the division. Much of the defensive unit from last season has stayed the same, but the loss of star left-back Harry Milne has been a huge one. Last week’s 4-4 draw at Hamilton Accies showed Cove at their very best and worst. Scoring 4 on the road is nothing to be sniffed at, but to do so and only take a point from the game is a cause for concern. They will be looking to make home advantage count this evening – all 3 of Cove’s league wins this season have come at the Balmoral Stadium.
On the other hand, Queen’s Park’s promotion last season came as a bit of a surprise to many. The Spiders finished the regular season with just 11 wins – the 4th lowest total in the division – and an incredible 18 draws to their name (12 of them being 1-1 scorelines). However, when it mattered the Spiders got it right. They beat Dunfermline Athletic and promotion favourites Airdrieonians in the play-offs to secure their spot in the second tier. Since their promotion, Queen’s Park have gone from strength to strength. Playing an attractive brand of football under Owen Coyle, the Spiders find themselves in 3rd place and right in the promotion mix at the start of November. Unbeaten in their last 3 league matches and having already beaten Cove Rangers this season, Queen’s Park will be full of confidence that they can return to Glasgow late this evening with all 3 points.
cinch League 1 – Falkirk v Dunfermline Athletic (Saturday 5th November)
Saturday is derby day in FK2. A bumper crowd of over 7,000 is expected to descend on the Falkirk Stadium as James McPake’s Pars make the trip across the Kincardine Bridge to take on a Falkirk side who have lost just once at home this season.
It may still be early in the season, but Saturday’s clash is a massive one – especially for Falkirk. The Bairns currently sit 4 points behind their fierce rivals in the League 1 table, meaning that a derby-day defeat would be a hugely damaging one. On the flipside though, pick up 3 points and we could have one heck of a title race on our hands. Falkirk have made huge improvements this season under the guidance of John McGlynn. High intensity, possession-based football has been served up week in, week out and it has generally garnered positive results. Seven wins, 3 draws and 3 losses (a 4-0 thrashing at Airdrie and two losses to Kelty Hearts) has put Falkirk very much in the conversation for promotion this time round after a few desperately disappointing League 1 campaigns. The Bairns squad is a balanced one, with quality and confidence throughout, as well as goal threats across the park. Forward Rumarn Burrell is one to keep an eye on. He gave the Pars back line a tough time at East End in September and is coming off the back of a brace at Palmerston last weekend.
The Pars are very much in the driving seat in terms of the League 1 promotion race. They are perched at the top of the table on 28 points, 3 clear of FC Edinburgh and 4 clear of their bitter rivals. For Dunfermline, Saturday’s task is a simple one – more of the same. They have only tasted defeat once in league play since their relegation from the Championship – they were beaten 2-0 by Montrose at Links Park a fortnight ago. While Dunfermline haven’t been as free scoring as other teams in the division, having netted 19 goals (the 5th highest tally in the division), they do boast the strongest goal difference of +12. The Pars’ success so far has been built upon the foundations of a rock-solid defence, led by new skipper Kyle Benedictus. Dunfermline’s back line have only shipped 7 goals – an incredible 8 goals fewer than the division’s next best defence. History generally goes out of the window on derby day but this is a fixture which has favoured the Pars in recent meetings. Dunfermline have won on each of their last 3 visits to Falkirk and haven’t tasted defeat in FK2 since October 2017. Could Saturday be another case of history repeating itself?
cinch League 2 – Stenhousemuir v East Fife (Saturday 5th November)
Two sides with promotion ambitions meet at Ochilview on Saturday, with the Methil men one place and two points above their hosts in the table.
Recent history in this fixture favours the Warriors. They have already beaten East Fife twice this season, winning 2-1 at Bayview in September and coming out on top by the same scoreline in the Scottish Cup second round at Ochilview thanks to a winner from Matty Yates. Stenhousemuir’s home form has been a bit of a mixed bag this season – two wins, two draws and two defeats – but they have only lost one of their last nine matches home or away in all competitions and that was to leaders Stirling Albion. That said, Stephen Swift’s side dropped valuable points in a 2-2 draw away to Albion Rovers last weekend and are now eight behind the top two of Stirling and Dumbarton.
East Fife recently appointed Greig McDonald as their new manager following the departure of Stevie Crawford to become No 2 at Dundee United and they have been in fine form of late. The Fifers won 3-1 at Forfar and 4-1 at Bonnyrigg in October to maintain their unbeaten away record and beat Elgin City 2-1 at Bayview last time out thanks to an Alan Trouten winner from the penalty spot.
This looks a tough one to call but if results go their way, East Fife could find themselves within three points of the leaders come Saturday evening as they seek an immediate return to League 1.
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