Scottish football expert Mark Walker sees in the new year with a look ahead to the best bets north of the border this weekend.
FALKIRK are having a car crash of a season and are on a nightmare run, but they can still collect three points at Alloa on Sunday.
Martin Rennie is the latest manager in the Bairns' hotseat as they continue to be the laughing stock of Scottish football where instead of finally climbing out of the third tier, they look more likely to be dragged into a relegation fight.
They have lost five games in a row in all competitions including one of the great, utterly lamentable defensive displays in a 6-0 leathering at Queen's Park the other week.
However, they were winning at East Fife two weeks ago when it was fogged off and Rennie could eventually make a difference.
Alloa isn't a particularly happy ship under Barry Ferguson either with the Wasps fans not slow to voice their displeasure with him.
They've lost three league games in a row, last won a league game in October and have won one game in eight and that was in the Scottish Cup against Bonnyrigg Rose.
And Falkirk can get the better of them in the battle of the crisis clubs at 29/20.
STENHOUSEMUIR grabbed a fine victory at second placed Forfar Athlertic last week in League Two and can win at home against a Stirling Albion side who have nosedived.
The Binos appointed Darren Young as their new manager, but he couldn't prevent them from tumbling to their seventh league defeat in a row when they were defeated by Elgin City last midweek.
Stenny are unbeaten in three games and they seem to score and concede plenty of goals – they've netted eight and gave seven in that run.
Former Motherwell midfielder Ross Forbes has returned to form and grabbed a double last week at Station Park. And they could have too much for Stirling at Ochilview in this derby match.
QUEEN'S PARK have really faded recently, but can get back to winning ways in what was once a Glasgow derby against Clyde.
The big-spending former amateurs have only won once in their last nine matches, although that was that aforementioned stunning success against Falkirk.
They lost 1-0 at Airdrie in midweek and were unlucky to do so. They have too many good players to struggle for long and can win at Cumbernauld against a Bully Wee side, who were bundled out of the Scottish Cup at Clydebank a few weeks ago.
Scottish Football Tips
- Falkirk 29/20 McBookie
- Stenhousemuir 13/10 McBookie
- Queen's Park 21/20 McBookie
Freelance Scottish Football journalist for all newspapers. Former Racing Post Scottish Football Correspondent and long-suffering Aberdeen fan.
