SlipsTips is back to share three angles of attack ahead of Saturday's fixtures, picking out his three favourite fancies from across England and Scotland.
Kilmarnock vs Hamilton (Saturday, 15:00)
Kilmarnock will look to get their Scottish Championship title bid back on track when they entertain Hamilton Academical on Saturday afternoon.
The Ayrshire outfit are still adapting to life under Derek McInnes and have been a bit inconsistent so far, but they remain in a strong position and their push for promotion hasn’t been affected too much by last weekend’s stalemate at Dunfermline.
Hamilton, on the other hand, have started to pull away from the danger zone and roll into Rugby Park in the midst of a five-match unbeaten run.
Despite Accies’ upturn in form, Kilmarnock will have their backers at a general 11/10, but I'm more than happy to instead side with the 82/100 (William Hill) on Kilmarnock -0-25 in the Asian Handicap.
This selection sees our stakes split, with half going on Kilmarnock draw no bet and the other half going on the outright win, and that makes appeal considering the hosts have triumphed in each of the previous three league meetings between the pair this term.
Whilst Hamilton are a team not to be underestimated, Kilmarnock have produced the majority of their best league form under McInnes on home turf and his quality-filled squad look solid value with a -0-25 start at 82/100 (William Hill).
Recommended Bet
- Kilmarnock -0.25 (Asian Handicap)– 82/100 (William Hill)
Cove Rangers vs Peterhead (Saturday, 15:00)
Cove Rangers will be looking to return to winning ways in Scottish League One when they play host to Peterhead on Saturday afternoon.
Paul Hartley’s side were widely expected to be in contention for promotion from the third tier this season but their pursuit has halted recently courtesy of a run of four draws and one win across their last five league games.
That said, Cove remain five points clear at the top of the division and their superior firepower could come to the fore when they face a Peterhead side that are hovering on the outskirts of the relegation battle.
Cove Rangers are unsurprisingly short-priced 1/2 favourites here but can get some 5/6 (UniBet) by backing the league leaders to overcome a -1 hurdle on the Asian Handicap.
This selection means if the hosts prevail by two or more goals we will be paid out, if they win by a solitary strike then stakes are returned, and that looks like a nice angle of attack when you consider the Blue Toon are taking to the field for the fifth time in 19 days.
With Cove boasting the only remaining unbeaten home record in Scottish League One, and Jim McInally’s men holding the second-worst road record in tier three, backing the boys from Balmoral to cover the the -1 Asian handicap holds appeal at 5/6 (UniBet).
Recommended Bet
- Cove Rangers -1 (Asian Handicap) – 5/6 (UniBet)
Derby vs Barnsley (Saturday, 15:00)
Derby County square off with relegation rivals Barnsley in a huge showdown at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon.
Wayne Rooney’s side will know they require a strong end to the season if they are to defy all odds and steer clear of the drop this term, while Barnsley also need to win this match if they are to reel in 21st-placed Reading.
As such, this fixture has the feel of a relegation six-pointer and given the immense pressure that will be on both sides, I'll happily snap up the 5/6 (SkyBet) on offer for 40+ Bookings Points to be produced at Pride Park.
The Rams sit sixth in the English Championship disciplinary standings with their 2.11 card per game average, while the Tykes are averaging 1.85 bookings per 90 minutes this term.
Granted referee Rob Jones has dished out an average of 34.41 Bookings Points per-game across all competitions this season, but eight of the last 14 fixtures he has taken charge of have generated 40+ BP, a sample that includes the reverse fixture between these two sides
What’s more, 40+ Booking Points has been a winning bet in eight of Derby’s last nine English Championship encounters and I see no reason to oppose a repeat here with the stakes so high.
Recommended Bet
- 40+ Booking Points – 5/6 (SkyBet)
Freelance Sports Writer and Betting Analyst with over five years experience. I’ve written football and darts betting content for some of the biggest betting websites and newspapers in the UK. With a strong passion for the fascinating world of Scottish football, I also regularly feature in Nutmeg, the much-loved Scottish football magazine. Falkirk season ticket holder and avid watcher of football and darts, whether it be UK-based or further afield. Feel free to follow me on X @SlipsTips
