Struggling towards the foot of League Two, Stenhousemuir will have a temporary distraction from their fight against relegation when they host Livingston in the Scottish Cup. It would be a monumental upset if they were to avoid defeat, though.

Gary Naysmith may have his team going a little better in recent weeks after a home win over Stranraer – a completely out of form side – and a draw against East Fife, but the new manager has been unable to oversee a trend that has seen them lose their last three against opponents presently in the top half of the table. Improving that record against a team three divisions above them looks especially improbable.

Livingston, meanwhile, have not got a reputation for travelling particularly well this season. They have lost five of their 11 matches on the road in the Premiership, but interestingly they have won back-to-back road  trips against Ross County and St Johnstone, suggesting that they have overcome their travel sickness.

Other favours fall in the favour of David Martindale’s side, too. Firstly, this match will be played on an artificial surface much the one they have at Almondvale. Secondly, their midweek fixture with Dundee United was postponed. That late call off might have hampered their training plans, but it means the team should be full of energy and ready to attack this cup match, which can be prioritised given their solid league position.

In the absence of any handicap betting markets at the time of writing, Livingston on the nose looks like a strong bet.

East Fife should be strong enough to overcome a Stranraer side in pitiful form at home on Saturday, with their price of 2.3 representing excellent value to those who like a punt at longer odds.

The Fifers haven’t been in great touch themselves lately but have pieced together a three-match undefeated run in the league, which was highlighted by a fine 2-1 away win against Elgin, which came as a sizeable shock. Last weekend, they earned a creditable draw awa to Stenhousemuir.

The main attraction of this bet is simply how bad Stranraer are presently. This is a team that is coming off the back of three successive defeats, including an away loss against bottom club Bonnyrigg and a stunning 4-0 reverse against Albion Rovers last weekend. That defeat left the Blues with a sense that they could easily be dragged to the foot of the table quickly.

Jamie Hamill’s side are particularly abject away from home. They have travelled nine times this season and have picked up only two points by way of draws. The Stair Park side have lost their last four on the road, with their last point coming against a struggling Annan outfit.

Stranraer’s squad is hit by a succession of injury problems, with their first-choice goalkeeper set to miss this game, while the spine of their side looks week. With little money to strengthen the squad before this game, their prospects of ending their away rut look bleak.

Should this match beat the weather, Stirling should have too much for their guests at Forthbank and should close the gap to Dumbarton at the top of the table to just a single point.

The Binos have been frustrated in recent weeks because of the weather. Matches against Dumbarton and Bonnyrigg away from home have both been called off, but in their two previous games they recorded wins over third-placed Elgin and Stranraer. Moreover, their home form this season has been excellent, with six wins from nine matches, 24 goals scored and just nine conceded. The Binos have won five of their last six at Forthbank.

This absence from action is a double-edged sword. While it should have allowed any injuries to clear and exciting new signing Greg Spence to build up an understanding with his team-mates in training, it equally will leave the players short of match sharpness. The benefits should outweigh the costs, though.

Forfar are an improving side, as evidenced by four wins from their last five matches, but while they overcame Dumbarton, the league leaders, last weekend, they only did so 2-1 at home after their opponents were handicapped very early by a red card.

In the previous meeting between the clubs, meanwhile, Stirling were much the better side as they ran out 4-1 winners at Station Park. That was Albion’s fourth in in their last six against Forfar, during which the Loons have only picked up one victory.

Forfar’s improving form is reflected in Stirling’s price ahead of this encounter, but the Binos should still be favoured to pick up maximum points at the weekend.

St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup tie with Rangers on Saturday is one that has been mired in controversy from the Perth club’s perspective. They face the prospect of their smallest ever home support in the modern era following a boycott by supporters angry about the ticket allocation given to Rangers fans for this game. The lack of home fans will make for a unique atmosphere – and not one that will favour the hosts.

This is the first leg of a double header between these sides, with a league match to be played at Ibrox next weekend. There is little prospect of the home team, who have lost their last five, getting a positive result here, but odds of 1.33 on Rangers to get the win do not represent the best value betting opportunity in this match.

Instead, look at the scoring markets. Although the Saints are in turmoil, they are scoring goals. In their last 11 matches in the Premiership, they have only been shutout twice. These fixtures came at the start of the year against Dundee United and Aberdeen, but they bounced back twice by netting against Livingston last weekend and they have also scored in their last three against the Old Firm clubs, including a 2-1 win over Rangers in November.

The Gers, meanwhile, have shown only limited reliability at the back. They have conceded exactly twice in three of their six league matches since the international break, including two against Kilmarnock in midweek. At the end of a tiring week, when the struggled over 120 minutes against Aberdeen to reach the League Cup final then laboured to beat Killie, it would be little surprise to see a lapse at the back, yet they should have plenty to go through.