After delivering another winner in his featured column last weekend, SlipsTips is back with a trio of selections from this weekend's action in the SPFL.
Dundee United vs Airdrie (Saturday, 15:00)
Dundee United will look to continue their strong start to the Scottish Championship season when they take on Airdrie at Tannadice on Saturday.
Jim Goodwin’s side have kicked-off their quest for promotion with commanding away wins at Arbroath and Ary either side of a 1-1 draw at home to Dunfermline.
As for Airdrie, they have needed no time to adapt to life in the second tier having bounced back from their opening day defeat at Dunfermline with wins over both Partick Thistle and Inverness.
Given the gulf in resources between the pair, Dundee United are understandably short priced 7/10 favourites here, so instead I’m going to continue with a running theme of this column,
Over 2.5 Goals has been chalked up at 20/23 (Betfair) and that price again simply looks too big to ignore given that Airdrie are involved.
Goals have been prominent in both Dundee United and Airdrie tussles this term and I expect that trend to continue at Tannadice on Saturday.
The squad Jim Goodwin has at his disposal would almost certainly at least be competitive in the top-flight and they have flexed their attacking muscle in their aforementioned wins over Arbroath and Ayr.
In fact, the Terrors covered the Over 2.5 goal line themselves in each of those two triumphs and they are certainly capable of repeating the trick against an Airdrie team that will leave themselves exposed given the style and swagger that they play with.
Rhys McCabe is rightfully earning rave reviews given the Diamond's attacking endeavour and his high-octane team have more than enough talent to bloody United's nose and contribute to another high-scoring affair here.
Collectively, the two teams have surpassed the Over 2.5 Goals mark in five of their six Scottish Championship assignments this season and I see no reason to oppose a repeat on Saturday.
Recommended Bet
- Over 2.5 Goals – 20/23 (Betfair)
Inverness vs Dunfermline (Saturday, 15:00)
Inverness will be desperate to finally get off the mark in the Scottish Championship when they play host to Dunfermline on Saturday.
After reaching last season’s Scottish Cup final, the Caley Jags find themselves pointless and propping up the table after last week’s 2-1 loss at Airdrie.
Dunfermline also tasted defeat last weekend, as they fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat at home to Fife rivals Raith Rovers – their first loss of the season.
Despite suffering that setback last weekend, I was surprised to see the Pars priced up as 9/4 outsiders ahead of their trip to the Highlands.
As such, I'm prepared to get the visitors onside here with a +0.25 start on the Asian Handicap at 17/20 (Bet 365).
This selection means we'll earn a half-stakes profit in the event of a draw, with a full-stakes pay-out secured should the Pars pick up all three points.
As already mentioned, Inverness have endured a miserable start to the season and they will have to put in a much-improved showing than that of late if they are to overcome a Dunfermline team that have proven to be a tough nut to crack under James McPake’s management.
Granted, the East End Park outfit were downed 1-0 by Raith Rovers last time out, but that was just their second league defeat across this season and last, albeit they were in the third tier last erm.
What’s more, McPake and Co came agonisingly close to beating title favourites Dundee United in their own backyard on their most recent road trip when drawing 1-1, so there's good reason to believe that they can come away from the Highlands with at least a point.
With that in mind, coupled with Inverness’ troubled start to the season, backing Dunfermline with a +0.25 start at 17/20 (Bet 365) has to be considered as an early season value selection.
Recommended Bet
- Dunfermline +0.25 (Asian Handicap)– 17/20 (Bet 365)
Raith Rovers vs Queen's Park (Saturday, 15:00)
Raith Rovers will endeavour to make it three Scottish Championship wins in succession when they entertain Queen's Park on Saturday.
Optimism at Starks Park was rising ahead of the start of the campaign and those high hopes have heightened following an unbeaten start to the season.
Ian Murray’s men battled back to draw 2-2 with Partick Thistle on the opening weekend and they have since earned eye-catching wins over both Morton and Dunfermline respectively.
Queen’s Park were ticking along nicely having started with a trio of victories before being put to the sword by Partick Thistle in a 3-1 loss at Firhill last weekend.
The bookies’ odds suggest another defeat could be on the cards for the Spiders here, however I’m happy to highlight an alternative offering in the total team goals market.
Raith Rovers are general 11/10 shots to triumph here, however I would rather side with the even-money (William Hill) on the home team to score two or more goals.
Ian Murray appeared to have recruited well during the close season there have since been some encouraging signs on the park, with Rovers unbeaten in the league thus far, not to mention they ran Hibs close in a recent Scottish League Cup tie at Easter Road.
Visitors Queen’s Park have also made a promising start to their season, but they have put their faith in a relatively young core that have been set up to adopt an attacking and possession-based approach this term.
While Spiders boss Robin Veldman’s positivity has to be admired, his side have conceded at least once in three of their opening four league games of the season, and much like last week, I suspect they may come unstuck again here when faced with another streetwise opponent in the shape of Raith Rovers.
The Kirkcaldy club have scored in each of their eight competitive contests this season – delivering multiple strikes on five of those occasions – and they possess the firepower to grab a couple of goals against their Glasgow guests.
Recommended Bet
- Over 1.5 Raith Rovers Goals – 1/1 (William Hill)
In December 2020 we sadly 
