THE only online bookmaker listing first-scorer prices on all SPFL games are McBookie.com.
It’s a great service they provide and we’ve teamed up with the Scots firm to look at some of the best bets from the Scottish lower leagues, here is McBookie.com’s Damian Walker with his weekend selections.
Jonathan Obika (St Mirren)
It is League Cup semi-final weekend and it must be an age since either Celtic or Rangers weren’t in one of them.
Rangers were dumped out of the competition by St Mirren when the Gers suffered their only defeat of the season in 35 matches.
The Buddies face Livingston in the second semi-final on Sunday and I just wonder how much Livi’s hard-fought midweek draw at home to Celtic in the Premiership will have taken out of them.
For sure their confidence will be sky-high as they have won eight and drawn two of their last 10 matches, but I can see St Mirren boss Jim Goodwin having his side go for a real high-tempo effort to exploit those weary Livi legs and bodies.
I also thought the odds were too much in Livingston’s favour as they were odds on to win the tie inside 90 minutes.
Finding a St Mirren first scorer is a little tricky as they have scored just 16 goals in their 21 Premiership games, but Jonathan Obika has scored six goals in all competitions this season and is 6/1 with McBookie to open the scoring.
Chris Kane (St Johnstone)
In the other League Cup semi Final, Hibernian are the 7/10 favourites to qualify but I think there could be some value in St Johnstone.
Chris Kane has become the number one striker for Callum Davidson now and he is looking to score for the third game in a row.
He is 7/2 for the first goal and can help the Saints to an upset.
Devante Cole (Motherwell)
In the Premiership on Saturday under-pressure Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes looks to have a very tricky home game against Motherwell.
There were some protests against McInnes outside Pittodrie in midweek and McBookie have been fielding requests for him to be the next Premiership manager to leave his post.
Things weren’t helped by a 4-1 defeat at the the hands of Ross County last weekend and I wouldn’t want to be backing the Dons at their current odds of 20/21 on the back of that result.
Motherwell have struggled themselves since the loss of David Turnbull to Celtic, but they held Rangers to a 1-1 draw last weekend and look overpriced at 14/5 this Saturday.
Well striker Devante Cole has hit form with two goals in his last two games including the opener against Rangers and he is 5/1 with McBookie to score the first goal against Aberdeen.