SlipsTips Tips: Dunfermline vs Alloa

SlipsTips returns to share a selection from the opening round of SPFL action on Saturday, with Dunfermline's meeting with Alloa under the microscope.

Dunfermline vs Alloa (Saturday, 15:00)

Dunfermline Athletic and Alloa Athletic get their Scottish League One campaign underway with a fixture at East End Park on Saturday afternoon.

After suffering relegation from the second tier via the playoffs, the Pars have been widely predicted to secure an instant return to the Scottish Championship this season.

Alloa, on the other hand, will most likely go under the radar compared to some of the big hitters in the league, although some punters will have earmarked them as the division's dark horses.

Dunfermline may have a taste for revenge here after they missed the chance to finish as one of the three best runners-up in their League Cup group when they were held to a 1-1 draw by the Wasps last weekend.

Pars backers will be offered a general 3/4 about James McPake’s men winning this weekend but we can get some 10/11 (William Hill) on the title favourites scoring two or more goals and that looks like a worthy boost in price.

There have been some encouraging signs in terms of the Fifers’ attacking displays under new chief James McPake during both pre-season and the Premier Sports Cup group stage.

While Dunfermline could only manage a 1-1 at home draw to Alloa last Saturday, the Pars passed up a series of gilt-edged opportunities, with young Wasps goalkeeper Jay Hogarth in inspired form.

In contrast, visitors Alloa head into their first league game of the season having been dumped out of the Premier Sports Cup, winning just one of their four pool fixtures in the process.

It’s also worth noting that Brian Rice’s backline was breached in each of those four aforementioned outings and that doesn't bode well given that there are plenty of good attacking options within the Dunfermline ranks.

With all this in mind, as well as the likelihood of Dunfermline being boosted by a bumper home crowd, backing the hosts to hit two or more goals looks like a nice way in at 10/11 with William Hill.