Cove Rangers primed to take the initiative in Ladbrokes League Two playoff final

Ladbrokes Premiership & Scottish Football League playoffs

3pm Saturday

Cove Rangers should take a giant step to gaining entry into the Scottish Football League by beating Berwick Rangers in the Ladbrokes League Two playoff final first leg.

The Aberdeen side romped to another Highland League success this season and easily dispatched Lowland League winners East Kilbride 5-1 on aggregate in the playoff between the two non-league champions for the right to face the bottom side in the Football League.

And Cove could hardly have picked better opponents than Scotland's only English-based league side.

Berwick have been in freefall for months and their stats make for horrific reading. They have won one of their last 24 matches in all competitions, haven't scored a goal for seven games, and sacked manager Johnny Harvey in a desperate bid to preserve their league status. However, Harvey's replacement, 67-year-old John Brownlie, hasn't managed a club for 16 years.

In contrast, Cove rattled in 100 goals in the Highland League and are brimming with confidence. They blew a great chance last year against Cowdenbeath but will have learned from that setback and should carve out a decent first-leg lead to take to England.

Cove started the week at odds-against to win the home leg but, unsurprisingly, that price didn't last. However, they should have enough to cover a one-goal handicap.

Kilmarnock can keep up their chase for third place in the Ladbrokes Premiership by defeating a Hibernian side with little to play for.

The Ayrshire club secured a massive win at Hearts last week and are trying to fend off the challenge from Aberdeen to finish best of the rest behind the Old Firm.

With their strong midfield of Alan Power, Gary Dicker and Youssouf Mulumbu, Killie can take the game to Hibs.

The Easter Road men were lethargic at Rangers last week and won't be too despondent that the season is coming to an end.

Killie finish their season with home games against Hibs and Rangers and they should boost their hopes of third place in the first of those fixtures.

Inverness should have enough to finish the job against Ayr in the quarter-final second leg of the Ladbrokes Premiership playoffs.

United look a spent force after Caley Thistle won 3-1 in the first leg at Somerset Park.

Inverness boss John Robertson won't let his men rest on their laurels and they can put the tie to bed in style.

Recommendations
Cove Rangers -1 on handicap
2pts 6-4 Betway, Betfred
Kilmarnock
1pt Evs general
Inverness
1pt 5-4 bet365

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