Partick v Cove (Championship)

Top-of-the-table Partick Thistle should prove to have too much for Cove Rangers when the sides meet at Firhill on Saturday. Partick have stormed to the top of the Championship thanks to a run of three successive wins over Inverness, Raith Rovers and Arbroath. In all competitions this season, they have won five of their six home matches this term.

Cove Rangers should prove to be relatively straightforward opponents for the Glasgow club. The newly promoted team have found the going difficult having stepped up a level. In all competitions, they have lost seven of their last eight, while they are not a side that typically travels well. On their travels this season in the league, they have lost all three of their fixtures, going down to defeats against Morton, Inverness and, most recently, Queen’s Park.

Cove have been particularly poor defensively and have conceded at least twice in their last four matches. By contrast, Partick have scored at least twice in their last four league games, suggesting that the home side’s scoring power will simply be too much for their guests from Aberdeen.

These sides actually played three times in the aborted 2020-21 season and Cove went undefeated in those games, albeit two of those three fixtures were home matches for them. Indeed, Partick should prove too strong for an opponent whose form has dipped since manager Paul Hartley left them in the summer.

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Peterhead v Kelty (League One)

The two bottom teams in League One square off on Saturday at Balmoor, with Peterhead playing host to Kelty Hearts. Already this is starting to have the air of a must-win match for the hosts, whose form has been simply dreadful in the early weeks of the season, yet Kelty come into this match in a far healthier state. 

Peterhead have lost nine of their 10 competitive fixtures this season and have conceded at least two goals in each of these matches. They have been hit by injuries to arguably their three most important players – Hamish Ritchie, Russell McLean and Andy McCarthy – and they have wholly failed to get over these problems.

Recruitment has taken on a desperate air, with players drawn from all kinds of unusual sources. Quite how many of these recruits they can use at the weekend is unclear: Ugandan defender Enock Walusimbi is waiting on a work permit, Ghanaian midfielder Prince Asare is a doubt after going off injured in their previous match and Ramez Hefzalla is on international duty with the Egypt youth team.

Kelty, by contrast, should have close to a full squad available. Among those players set to feature is Nathan Austin, who is their outstanding striker. He has missed virtually all of their league season to date with a niggling calf problem, but he featured in a midweek friendly. This will give them a cutting edge they have previously lacked.

With the likes of Joe Cardle, Jamie Barjonas and Kallum Higginbotham getting back towards full fitness after injury problems, look for Kelty’s form to continue the turnaround that was hinted at when they beat Falkirk 2-0 a fortnight ago.

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Airdrie v Clyde (League One)

Airdrie and Clyde renew derby hostilities on Saturday, with both clubs seeking to bounce back after poor results a fortnight ago. Airdrie, though, are the team best equipped to win this match.

The Diamonds were stunned in their last home game, in which they were beaten 6-0 by Edinburgh City. They were punished for an early red card and having a very attacking approach to the match after that moment. Nevertheless, they have otherwise been strong at home, recording 4-0 and 2-0 wins over Falkirk and Alloa respectively – teams that are stronger than their weekend visitors.

Clyde, meanwhile, have been rather flattered by the start they have made to the season. On paper, they are perhaps the second weakest team in the league, and the spectacular 4-1 win they achieved against an underperforming Queen of the South on the opening day of the season is now something long forgotten. 

The signs are that Danny Lennon’s side have lost all momentum. They have lost their last three fixtures, with defeats against Edinburgh and Alloa both coming by two goals. Airdrie are at least the level of these opponents. 

Meanwhile, the last time these sides met, Airdrie ran out a handsome 5-0 winner away from home. Indeed, the Diamonds have won five of the last seven these sides have met. On four of these occasions, they have won by at least two goals. The odds are generous on them being able to repeat the feat against a Clyde side that is on a downward trend.

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Stenhousemuir v Elgin (League Two)

League Two continues to be an unpredictable beast, but Stenhousemuir and Elgin have consistently produced goals in their matches this season and there is little to suggest that trend won’t continue when the teams meet on Saturday at Ochilview.

Stenhousemuir were the pre-season title favourites and look an improved team from the outfit that lost three in succession in August to see them dragged towards the foot of the table. They have responded with wins against Forfar and Stranraer. 

While the Warriors results have been up and down, one thing that has been consistent is that their games have produced goals. Nine of their 11 competitive fixtures this season have seen more than 2.5, while both teams have scored in seven.

Similarly, Elgin have been a team that have been involved in many entertaining matches. Eight of their 12 fixtures have yielded 2.5 goals, while a 2-0 win over Bonnyrigg a fortnight ago was the first time this season that they had not conceded at least two in a single match. 

These are teams with history, too. Even if Elgin’s 3-1 win in the Challenge Cup in August should be largely discounted because it is a competition that few teams treat particularly seriously in the early rounds, when these clubs met last season, three of the four fixtures wrought over 2.5 goals. 

With Stenhousemuir improving offensively and Elgin still having serious questions to answer over their defensive capabilities, this should be an entertaining game. The Warriors rightly start as favourites, but after one defeat in five (including three 2-2 draws), Elgin should not be written off.

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Motherwell v Hearts (Premiership)

Hearts might have claimed a fine 2-0 win in Riga on Thursday, but back that up in Motherwell on Sunday promises to be no easy task against an opponent in strong form. Robbie Neilson’s men put a great deal into that midweek encounter and do not have a squad that is well used to coping with the rumours of such an intense schedule. Indeed, this will be their eighth game in the calendar month.

The Edinburgh side have not travelled well in the league this season. Indeed, they have won just a single point from their three road trips, losing 1-0 against Livingston last time out. With Liam Boyce out, Beni Baningime not ready to return and Craig Halkett doubtful after going off early on Thursday, their squad could be bereft of some key players.

By contrast, Motherwell are in a period of improvement. They have suffered only a couple of defeats since Steve Hamill was appointed as manager following their embarrassing European exit at the hands of Sligo Rovers in July. 

The Well have won two of their last three home matches and have not conceded a goal at Fir Park in any of those encounters. They are proving to be a difficult side to beat at home, and against an opponent who have had a gruelling midweek match, they should be favoured to take something from this encounter.

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