AFTER last night's match at Tynecastle, I would say, the SPFL title is now, more than at any time this season, Celtic's to lose. Hearts' come-from-behind win over Aberdeen was a great kick-off to a crucial few days of fixtures, and, if this afternoon's Premiership match-ups live-up to the hype, they will keep a great weekend of football going at a cracking rate.
Today's 33rd round of games are the last before the split, and, it couldn't be tighter. OK, at the top, should Celtic beat Motherwell at Fir Park, they will go into the crucial final five fixtures flurry with an eight-point lead. Should the Hoops fail to defend that advantage, well, Ronnie Deila will not deserve to keep his job. I would say, even a five-point gap for the Champions will be enough to get the job done.
The real interest in the top flight, however, is in the battle for the other five places. Aberdeen and Hearts are safely through, ready to continue their wee private battle for second, with Aberdeen now reduced to hoping for a Celtic collapse which might let them through for the crown. But, the other three places are still up for grabs - with five clubs, you might even say six, in contention.
Motherwell, St Johnstone and Dunde are the three clubs currently occupying positions four, five and six; but, Partick Thistle and the two Highland clubs, Ross County and Inverness Caledonian Thistle - who have a game in hand - cannot be ruled out.
Who says the SPFL is a boring league?
Lee Wallace gets a preview of the Petrofac Trophy
MEANWHILE, tomorrow at the National Stadium, Ra Peepul will roll-up to pack the Mount Florida End, and, let's be honest, most of the other seats, convinced the Rangers Tribute Act only has to turn-up to beat Peterhead and lift the Petrofac Training Trophy - that's the latest name for the unloved Challenge Cup.
The Championship was wrapped-up in midweek, there is a Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic to come next weekend, so, while tomorrow's match is perhaps the skimpiest of fillings in the middle of the sandwich, the Bears will demand this silverware is clinched, as their 2015-16 "Treble" dream remains alive.
Those of us, not of the Ibrox persuasion, have enjoyed some quiet chuckles at the various upsets which have befallen the Blue Bigot Brother in this competition. Surely,this time, they will get it right and win the thing. Or will they again managed to muck it up?
SCOTTISH women, beautiful, sexy, talented though they all are, can, as any man married to one will testify, be a thrawn bunch. When one of oor lassies decides on something, hell mend the man or woman who comes between them and their goal.
Thus, I wouldn't like to be one of the other nations standing between Anna Signeul's squad and their place in the 2017 Women's European Championship finals in the Netherlands. After last night's 3-1 win over Slovenia at Paisley, our girls have a six-point lead over group favourites Sweden.
OK, the Swedes are still favourites to top the group, but, it will take a massive collapse by Scotland over the remaining matches, to deny the girls a first championship finals appearance.
They even gave the men a lesson in how to do it. We are well used to male Scottish teams not hitting the heights and dropping points in qualifying tournaments. By all accounts, the girls played poorly last night, but still won by two clear goals.
Two-goal Jane Ross (above left) and Kim Little (above right), scored against Slovenia
The girls have still to play their two games against the Swedes, but, they have momentum and, who knows, they might still do better than the expected second-place finish.
AND finally, the meaningful action isn't just confined to the senior game today. This afternoon sees the first leg ties in the ETHX Energy Scottish Junior Cup semi-finals.
Hurlford gaffer Darren Henderson celebrating the 2014 Junior Cup win
Hurlford United, who won the Cup in 2014, after their comprehensive defeat of cup-holders Auchinleck Talbot in the quarter-finals have rightly been installed as favourites. SJFA Secretary Tom Johnston, as I have long recognised, is a man of probity and ethics - not for him the pochle which past holders of that post might have pulled. For he overswa a semi-final draw which has paired United with Pollok in the last four - this was the tie most of us would have picked as the ideal final.
Thus, Blair Park, as it was for the last eight, will be packed-out this afternoon. The other tie has not had the same attention, but, a North Ayrshire Derby between Beith and the outsiders, Kilwinning Rangers, has its attractions and the action will be white-hot at Bellsdale this afternoon.
The Buffs (Kilwinning) are the only one of the four remaining sides from outwith the Stagecoach West of Scotland Superleague's Premier Division, but, write them off as outsiders at your peril.
If you like your football with an extra edge, head for Blair Park or Bellsdale this afternoon.
No comments:
Post a Comment