Another fascinating weekend of Scottish football is upon and after a busy midweek of top flight action, and we’ve got all four divisions to pick from. The Premiership title race continues to look tight as the two contenders got nervy 1-0 wins over the two sides from Edinburgh. At the other end, seven points separate the bottom seven in what is looking a more and more intriguing league by each passing week.

There is life outside of the Premiership though and I’ve gone for selections from each of the top three divisions this weekend, starting with the side currently top of the entire SPFL to get all three points.

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Rangers v Dundee

With both themselves and Celtic getting narrow victories during the week, the gap at the top of the Premiership remains four points, with Rangers in the driving spot just now. It does mean that any slip up could prove costly but I don’t see Rangers opening the door for Celtic this weekend.

Rangers will be confident of strengthening their grip on top spot under van Bronckhorst with a win at Ibrox against a Dundee side that does have quality and are in a decent vein of form, but they have nowhere near enough to really trouble the champions in Glasgow. Rangers eked out a 1-0 win at Dens earlier on this campaign under Steven Gerrard but already they look to be more open and attacking under their new Dutch head coach. They still aren’t looking formidable at the back though and Dundee will be optimistic of rocking Rangers’ rear guard.

The Gers managed 26 shut outs in 38 games last season, a staggeringly good record yet this year has been a completely different story. This season they’ve kept just four clean sheets in 15 games (an identical record to their opponents) and look a shadow of themselves defensively. They are though looking impressive up top, especially now that Ryan Kent is back and the likes of Joe Aribo and Fashion Sakala are starting to chip in with some goals too. Rangers should run out fairly comfortable winners this weekend even though they’ve really struggled to keep sides out this campaign, though the prospect of Rangers racking up a big score on their own is just as likely as Dundee helping us out with a goal themselves.

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Hamilton v Dunfermline

Level on points and only separated by goal difference you might be surprised to see me going for a Dunfermline result at Hamilton here. But when you dig a little deeper it’s clear to see the mood at the two clubs couldn’t be more different and they look to be headed in two very separate directions.

After a shambolic start, that ultimately cost Peter Grant his job, Dunfermline look to have found their feet. John Hughes has come in and has found a nice blend of youth and experience, something that Grant couldn’t do in his brief tenure at the club. The likes of Lewis McCann, Matthew Todd and Kyle MacDonald offer a bit of sprightful exuberance alongside the cuter Ryan Dow, Graham Dorrans and Mark Connolly to what looks a well-balanced side that may be capable of closing the gap between the two distinct halves forming in the Championship. Though I suspect Dunfermline closing the 14-point gap between themselves and the top five may be a bit of a stretch, they do have plenty to shift clear of the four poor sides beneath them, starting with a win this weekend.

Hamilton are one of those four sides that lack the quality to muster anything more than a relegation fight. They’ve lost four on the bounce and have managed just two goals across those quartet of defeats. Only Morton have scored fewer than them and Accies lay claim to the worst defensive record in the Championship, though to be honest it feels like splitting hairs to describe any one of them, Ayr, Morton and Queen of the South as the worst side in the division. While little separates these two sides in the division, Dunfermline should be able to head to Lanarkshire and, at the very least, avoid defeat against a side that has lost five of their eight home games this campaign.

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Clyde v Peterhead

Dropping down a division for the final two selections of the acca, and we’ll go after some goals to start with. The division as a whole is averaging over three goals a game this season and though these two are at the wrong end of the standings, both are more than capable in front of goal.

All seven of Clyde’s League One games at Broadwood this season have landed Over 2.5 Goals, while 86% of Peterhead’s away trips have witnessed three or more goals – with their average actually a whopping 3.57 per away game for the Blue Toon. These two have managed a combined six clean sheets between the 30 games they’ve played this season (four two in Peterhead’s favour). With neither competent at the back, especially a truly woeful Clyde defence, this should favour goals between two sides who will realise attack is their best form of defence.

Only Dumbarton have a better Over 2.5 record for the season that the hosts of this one and it’s no surprise really. While they’re shocking at the back, they have they most prolific striker in the SPFL in the shape of David Goodwillie, a man more than capable of getting all three goals we need here himself. These two sides will be keen to get points on the board and start to really put daylight between themselves and East Fife at the foot of the table before the Fifers get their injured players back. Meaning this one could be an open and end-to-end tie between sides with truly woeful defences.

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Cove Rangers v Dumbarton

Rounding off the acca and sticking in the third tier for some goals I fancy top of the table Cove and goalsy Dumbarton to play out a game filled with chances and at least three goals. Despite their difference in the standings, a relatively meagre 10 points separate these two in what has been an entertaining league thus far, and I suspect this game will live up to League One’s blockbuster nature that we’ve witnessed over the opening 15 rounds.

Though Cove don’t boast an amazing Over 2.5 record this season (53% of their games have landed in our needed market) they are on something of a run in this market. Each of their last six home games across all competitions have seen three or more goals, with that half dozen of games witnessing an average of 4.5 goals per 90! They’ve only tasted defeat once since August and Cove do look very well-placed to continue their meteoric rise up the pyramid come May, though they certainly won’t have it all their own way at the Balmoral stadium this weekend.

Dumbarton are far from flying and though back-to-back wins against Alloa and Sauchie have halted a winless run of seven, they have been very handy in goals betting this term. Their porous defence has meant they’re closer to a relegation fight than the Play-Off spots but it has contributed to a wonderful Over 2.5 Goals record. 13 of their 15 League One (and four of their five cup games they’ve actually contested) have ended with at least three goals being scored between the two sides. It’s a phenomenal record that could improve this weekend as they travel to face a free-scoring and in-form Cove side.

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