Ladbrokes SPFL: Celtic extend unbeaten run while Forfar drop more points

Another weekend of Ladbrokes SPFL football has come and gone, and once again, sides north of the border have failed to let us down in terms of excitement. So what made our Top Five talking points from the four divisions combined? It’s no surprise that we begin with Brendan Rodgers’ men…

Same old, same old for Celtic…

A 2-0 win on Saturday against a Motherwell side who’ve enjoyed a fairly decent start to the campaign extended Celtic’s unbeaten run to eight games this season.

But what will please fans even more is that their two main danger men, Scott Sinclair and Moussa Dembele, are continuing their fine goalscoring runs.

Sitting top of the scoring charts with seven goals is former Manchester City man Sinclair, who’s already scored more this year than he managed in the previous four seasons in England combined, while 20-year-old Dembele continues to prove his worth.

And Saturday’s victory marked a second consecutive clean sheet for goalkeeper Craig Gordon. You’d have to go back to February to find the last time the Bhoys kept opponents at bay in two successive league games. It seems Rodgers’ men are getting things right at both ends of the pitch – much to the satisfaction of supporters.

…but the Dons are hot on their heels

Meanwhile, Aberdeen are continuing to stake their claim for second-place after a shaky start which saw them pick up just six points from an available 15 in their opening five games.

Saturday’s victory over Ross County was their fourth on the bounce in the league, and they’re now just four points off league leaders Celtic.

It’s also back-to-back 4-0 wins for Derek McInnes’ men, who are now the second-highest scorers in the division behind the Hoops.

Up next for the Dons in the league is a trip to Hamilton Academical, and following that they welcome Celtic to Pittodrie Stadium. Win both of those games and it may just be all change at the top.

Which side is going to make a statement of intent in the Ladbrokes Championship?

Remarkably, neither of the two sides leading the way in the Championship have managed to win for the third week in a row.

Hibernian’s draw away at Raith Rovers saw them leapfrog Queen of the South to top-spot, following a dismal display by the Doonhamers at home to Greenock Morton in which they lost 5-0.

If both sides continue to carelessly drop points, there could be some value in the 13/2 on Falkirk winning the title, with the Bairns winning five of their last six.

Stenhousemuir continue to ship goals

Saturday’s 5-0 defeat to Stranraer meant that Stenny now hold a record that no side in the top four tiers wants – that being the worst defence in the Ladbrokes SPFL.

It’s now a staggering 23 goals that Brown Ferguson’s men have shipped in just nine games, and it looks as though last week’s 1-0 win away at East Fife could’ve been a false dawn.

Up next for bottom-of-the-league Stenny is the visit of title-challengers Brechin City, who’ll be looking to capitalise on Ferguson’s seemingly weak back-four.

What’s happened to the Forfar of August and September?

Two successive Manager of the Month trophies for Gary Bollan look to have sparked a drop in form for League 2 leaders Forfar.

Since the turn of October, the Loons have lost three on the bounce in all competitions, and while they were some nine points clear at the top of the table just three weeks ago, that gap has now been closed to just three.

Bollan will be hoping his men can get back to their best next time out as the 11/10 favourites for the title head to winless Edinburgh City.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing