cinch Championship – Arbroath v Ayr United (Friday 31st March)
With the international break behind us, start your weekend right with some cinch Championship action live on BBC Scotland. The cameras are heading to Angus this evening for Ayr United’s trip to Gayfield.
Arbroath picked up arguably the cinch SPFL’s most impressive result last weekend, eeking out a narrow victory over Championship leaders Queen’s Park at Ochilview. A battling display was required, with Lichties stopper Derek Gaston putting in a Man of the Match display to keep a clean sheet. Though, it was Dale Hilson’s brilliantly taken second half goal which was the difference and saw Arbroath climb to 8th in the table.
The battle to avoid the bottom two places looks to be between three teams, with Arbroath currently sitting top of the pile. But, Cove are just two points behind and Accies trail by three but have a pair of games in hand over the Lichties. A win tonight would be a huge step towards safety, but would require the Lichties to defeat a side which they haven’t beaten in three attempts already this season. Arbroath also have the division’s poorest home record, having won just once on home soil this term.
The Honest Men bounced back from a disappointing midweek defeat at Dens Park in the best way possible. They put Cove Rangers to the sword for the fourth time in all competitions this season with a convincing 3-0 win at Somerset. Early goals from O’Connor & Akinyemi set the tone, with Mitchell-Lawson adding his name to the scoresheet in the second half.
The race for promotion is very much on for Ayr. While the gap to league leaders Queen’s Park may be too much to bridge at five points, the Honest Men remain right in the play-off mix. They currently occupy 3rd place with a six-point lead over 5th placed play-off outsiders Morton. Though, the Ton do have a game in hand over Ayr. A win on the road this evening would go some way towards sewing up a play-off berth. The Honest Men go into the match as favourites having beaten their opponents 2-0 on their own patch back in October.
cinch League 1 – Alloa Athletic v Airdrieonians (Saturday 1st April)
A huge match in the cinch League 1 promotion race as two of the division’s in-form teams face off in Clackmannanshire. Both sides head into the fixture on the back of three wins and something has to give!
The Wasps have been quietly excellent in recent weeks, picking up 4 wins from their last 5 cinch League 1 outings – their only defeat coming away to league leaders Dunfermline Athletic. Alloa have become one of the division’s most reliably solid outfits. Built upon strong defensive foundations with the ability to grind out wins against the teams around them in the table, Alloa currently sit 3rd in League 1 and look set for the play-offs.
While Alloa don’t possess one of the division’s top marksmen with the ability to score on a consistent basis, one of the Wasps’ strengths comes from their ability to share goals around the team. Four players (Rodden, MacIver, Donnelly & Sammon) have scored five or more in the league, with Sammon hitting double figures on 10 goals. Donnelly & MacIver were on the scoresheet the last time Alloa welcomed Airdrie to the Recs in a 2-0 home win. Three points on Saturday would all but confirm the Wasps’ place in the play-offs.
Airdrie’s recent form has been nothing short of spectacular, having scored 18 goals in their last three league matches. Thrashings of Kelty Hearts, Peterhead & Clyde respectively have shown the Diamonds at their brilliant best, playing a brand of confident attacking football which has been too much for their peers to live with. Their in-form attackers have been key to this success. Gabby McGill has scored seven times in these three matches, with divisional top scorer Calum Gallagher (18 goals this season) finding the net on four occasions.
The last time the sides met it was the Diamonds who prevailed in a 4-0 win at the Excelsior Stadium in January. A similar performance on Saturday would be absolutely huge for Rhys McCabe’s side who look to build momentum for their play-off push as they aim to atone for last season’s disappointing climax. After a testing start to management and a number of really difficult results it seems as though Airdrie’s player-manager has struck the perfect balance at the optimum moment in their season. On current form, you’d have to fancy Airdrie’s chances in the play-offs!
cinch League 2 – East Fife v Annan Athletic (Saturday 1st April)
cinch League 2 remains the tightest division in the country, with just 13 points separating 3rd from 10th. Here we look to Bayview for a huge clash between two promotion chasers.
Having suffered just one defeat in their last eight cinch League 2 outings, East Fife are right in amongst the promotion mix under new boss Greig McDonald. Last Friday’s 2-0 win over Elgin City at Bayview was the latest in a slew of impressive results which has saw the Fifers rise from 7th to 3rd place in just over a month. The goals of veteran forward Alan Trouten have been a huge factor, with the 37-year-old reaching double figures in league play.
After last season’s relegation disappointment and a managerial change it seemed as though 22/23 may well be a season of consolidation and rebuilding for the Fifers. But, the club’s recent form has saw them surge up the division and put themselves right in contention for an immediate return to cinch League 1 via the play-offs. Saturday’s clash with the Galabankies looks to be a stern test of the Fifers’ promotion credentials, with East Fife without a win against their opponents since March 2016!
Annan’s form of late has been rather patchy. The Galabankies have won two, drawn two and lost three of their last seven league outings. Despite that inconsistency, they still find themselves in a great position to secure a play-off berth. Currently in fourth place (ahead of fifth placed Forfar Athletic on goal difference), Annan do possess a not-so-secret weapon which may be the difference maker in their promotion push. Striker Tommy Goss is the division’s (and the SPFL’s) top scorer with 22 goals and has found the net four times in his last four outings.
Recent meetings between the two promotion chasers have very much went the way of the Galabankies. Annan were winners on home soil in January and, crucially, impressed in a 3-1 victory at Bayview back in December. Each of the last five league encounters between the sides have seen three or more goals scored, so expect entertainment in Methil on Saturday afternoon!
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