Jim Delahunt’s expert betting tips on Celtic v Hibs, Rangers v Aberdeen plus all the weekend football action & his acca

COVE took a big step towards the Championship play-off final with a goalless draw at Queen of the South midweek and Paul Hartley’s 13/10 Rangers can complete the job in tomorrow’s second leg.

Queens head north having failed to make a breakthrough in Dumfries on Tuesday and Peter Murphy’s side could be up against after a combination of near misses and good work from Cove keeper Nick Suman kept them at bay.

2

2

Cove finished second by 3 points from the Doonhamers in League One but Queen of the South were 13-2-3 at home over the season and Tuesday has to be an opportunity missed.

Rangers actually recorded more wins (9) away from the Balmoral (7) during the season proper but they’ve produced goals in key matches to finish second behind7points winners Arbroath and I reckon they’re a great price at decent odds against to win in 90 minutes and progress to the final.

Airdrie look the most likely opponents after the Championship side beat League One 4th Stenhousemuir 3-1 away on Tuesday and tomorrow’s second leg should be fairly straightforward for the 8/15 Diamonds whether they add to their 2 goals advantage or not.

The match doesn’t strike me as one to get involved in with Stenny facing a seemingly lost cause but ANNAN could be keen to kill off Elgin City in the second leg of their League One play0off and look to be worth supporting at 19/20.

Wullie Gibson’s side were 3-1 up at Borough Briggs before the game finished 4-2 on Tuesday and the current League One side will surely want to avoid any doubt with another win over the club which finished 4th in League Two, 11 and 10 points behind the top two of Peterhead and EAST FIFE.

Dick Campbell’s side start their second leg a goal down to Edinburgh City after Malik Zaid’s Tuesday night winner in the capital but they’re back over the Forth Bridge for tomorrow’s second leg and I can’t see past the Fifers at an admittedly short-looking 1/2.

East Fife secured second spot behind 1 point winners Peterhead with a home record of 13-3-2 for the main league season and while they need two goals to win the tie and reach the final, one goal will do for us to get the 90 minutes win.

Kilmarnock and Dundee could well find a point suiting both clubs when they meet at Rugby Park tomorrow and the draw price of 5/2 being landed would mean both clubs keeping heir heads above relegation waters whatever the results elsewhere.

Motherwell deserve plenty of credit for last week’s win at Dundee despite the home side’s gripes about a disallowed “goal” and unlocked relegation shackles could help cause Hearts enough problems to take a point home from Tynecastle at a high-value draw price of 16/5.

Coventry and Bradford landed big promotion/play-off calls for this column in England last Saturday at 11/10 and 4/9 and I’m backing STOCKPORT to take a first leg League One lead back to Edgeley Park by winning their lunchtime kick-off at Leyton Orient.

County finished third to two outstanding clubs in Birmingham and Wrexham and while Leyton Orient finished the season with 6 straight wins to take the final play-off spot, tomorrow’s visitors won the last encounter in London back in February by a goal to nil.

Stockport are 9/5 to get the first leg lead they crave after such a sterling effort during the season proper and Dave Challoner’s side can take a massive step towards the final and a second successive promotion.

Relegated Ipswich came back from a goal down to take a consolation point at Everton last week but the Tractor Boys could find it tough against BRENTFORD, even with home advantage.

The Bees travel to Portman Road after 3 straight wins and 10 goals against Brighton, Forest and Manchester United with punters likely to be rewarded at around 8/13.

Saturday SINGLE

Carlisle (4/1) was one for the 2-up and win backers last week after they were hauled back to 2-2 and I’m siding with ST MIRREN to win away to Dundee United tomorrow at 2/1.

CELTIC V HIBERNIAN

Two of Hibs’ last 3 defeats have come away to Celtic and the champions are a best-priced 3/10 to beat the third-top visitors for a third time in Glasgow.

I tipped David Gray’s side to beat Dundee United at 3/4 last week and while they’re 9/1 to spring a shock victory here, there could be some merit in taking the draw price of 9/2 and better.

Celtic have bigger days to come when they get the Premiership trophy against St Mirren and the Cup Final against Aberdeen and while Hibs will probably have to score, Kilmarnock did just that in Celtic’s last home game and Hibs are 15 points better.

DUNDEE UTD V ST MIRREN

I tipped St Mirren to beat Aberdeen at 8/5 last weekend and I’m backing Stephen Robinson’s players to win again at Tannadice and close the gap on 5th placed United to 2 points with 2 games to play.

That could well be as close as they get with Celtic away on the final day of the season but Saints’ top six finish is another superb achievement and United looked like they were flagging at Easter Road a week ago.

Saints were defensively sound against the Dons and more of the same from Richard Taylor and Alex Gogic can provide a platform for the likes of Mikael Mandron to grab a match-winner for 2/1 Saints.

ST JOHNSTONE V ROSS COUNTY

I said last week that Saints match against Kilmarnock was a must-win but the visitors managed to leave Perth with 2 goals and 3 points after 6 straight defeats on the road.

Simo Valikari’s players now host nearest relegation rivals County in the proverbial 6-pointer and hope springs eternal after the Staggies failed to capitalise on a one goal lead at home to Hearts last weekend.

County can hope Kilmarnock do them a favour by beating Dundee but they’d have to win this to take advantage and I’ll give Saints one last chance to shine at 13/10.

RANGERS V ABERDEEN Sunday 12 noon Sky Sports

Rangers’ run of games without a win stretched to 6 with last week’s 1-1 draw against Celtic but the most worrying stat has to be their home form having now gone 7 games without a win at Ibrox.

The Dons lost 3-0 on their last visit here in January but Rangers haven’t won a league game at Ibrox since their 4-0 win over Ross County in February and the Dons can extend that run with a draw.

Jimmy Thelin’s men were thwarted by excellent defending at St Mirren last weekend but they’ll be hoping to start this game with Hibs having lost at Celtic and they can take a point at least at the draw price of 16/5.

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page