Ladbrokes SPFL: Few surprises as top teams claim the points
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It was a busy weekend in the Ladbrokes SPFL with almost all scheduled fixtures going ahead, and it was a difficult one for those in the bottom half of the tables, as promotion hopefuls pretty much cleaned up.
Only Albion Rovers’ clash with Stenhousemuir failed to go ahead due to a waterlogged pitch, while there was plenty of drama up and down the leagues.
With the dust now settled as Monday arrives, here’s your round-up of the weekend action…
Ladbrokes Championship
With Rangers and Hibernian not in action until Sunday, Falkirk took the chance to make up ground with a 1-0 victory at Morton.
Raith returned to winning ways with a 2-0 success at home to Livingston, while St Mirren continued their good form by seeing off Dumbarton 1-0.
The top two continued the winning to nil theme as Hibs eased to a 3-0 win over Alloa in Sunday’s early kick-off, before Rangers needed Kenny Miller to down a resolute Queen of the South and reassert their eight-point lead at the top with a 1-0 victory.
Mark Warburton’s Gers remain heavy favourites at 1/8 for Championship glory, with Hibs holding steady at 4/1.
Ladbrokes League 1
Down into the third tier and in contrast to the Championship, goals were flying in as both sides found the net in every game.
League leading Dunfermline were pushed hard by Brechin at Glebe Park, but in a game that saw eight yellow cards (six for the hosts) the Pars prevailed 2-1 with the first-half seeing all the net-busting action.
Second-placed Peterhead also faced a fight, twice being pegged back by Cowdenbeath before Jamie Redman secured a 3-2 win for the Blue Toon, keeping the gap to Dunfermline to eight points having played a game more.
Ayr ended their two-game losing streak by consigning Forfar to a 17th successive game without a win, thanks to Ryan Stevenson’s double in a 2-1 success.
The final game of the weekend saw Airdrie and Stranraer each net after the break in a 1-1 draw.
Ladbrokes League 2
The top of League 2 saw a change of leadership after Elgin slipped to a 3-1 loss at Montrose.
That defeat, coupled with Kevin Smith’s late winner for East Fife over Stirling, saw the Fifers go a point clear having played a game more than City.
The result saw Gary Naysmith’s men cut from 11/4 to 11/5 in the betting for the title, while Elgin maintain favouritism but slip from 11/8 to 15/8.
Queen’s Park and Annan are keeping up the pace in third and fourth, with both sides picking up 1-0 victories away at Arbroath and East Stirling respectively.
Barry Ferguson’s Clyde picked up a much-needed three points meanwhile, with their 2-1 win over Berwick ending a four-game losing streak.
It was a weekend for narrow wins in Scotland, with 10 of the 14 Ladbrokes SPFL fixtures won by a single-goal margin, but it wasn’t that close, only one fixture ended in a draw.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
