TWO Ayrshire villages will be deserted today as thousands of fans descend on Rugby Park for the highlight of the junior football season.
Auchinleck Talbot face Hurlford in the Junior Cup Final and it will be no holds barred.
As a Clydebank fan I'm familiar with both sides and watched my boys beat both pretty comfortably at home as we secured Super Premier survival.
Talbot looked the better of the two outfits and that's reflected in the league table. They are one win from the title – and what a game it will be on Saturday when they head to neighbours Cumnock looking for a victory to pip Beith. Hard hats will be required for that one.
Hurlford on the other hand were hit badly by the weather and have been playing catch-up for the past few months. However, they've taken just 21 points from 19 games – about half Talbot's total.
Talbot are therefore justifiable favourites at 4-5 with William Hill to win in 90 minutes but best bet of all could be under 2.5 goals at 5-6 with McBookie.
It won't be pretty as both sides are quite direct, especially Hurlford, and you can judge for yourself as it's live on BBC Alba from 4.10pm. Remember it's not youth football but non-league and the winners also get a place in next season's senior Scottish Cup.
Well done on bookies for pricing up loads of markets including first scorer and I'm backing Talbot's Graham Wilson at 19-5 with McBookie.
I'll be down in Hurlford on Saturday for Clydebank's final league game – so don't tell the locals I backed against them.
Recommended Bets
- Auchinleck
- Under 2.5 match goals
- Wilson to score first
Resident football tipster at Scotland's most read newspaper, the Daily Record, for over 20 years and proud host of one the best betting communities on the web with daily betting tips.
