HIS team won the Championship, and that's where Willie Duncan (@Willie_Duncan) is going for his best Scottish bet this weekend.
Dumbarton v Rangers | Saturday 15:00
Okay, I’ll put my hands up – I got greedy last weekend. The world and his dog knew that Ross County were going to thump hapless St Mirren on Monday night, but when I saw the 3/1 quotes for a Motherwell win at Firhill, I couldn’t resist and I paid the penalty.
This weekend, though, I’m hoping to land a profit by keeping my feet firmly on the ground and backing a juicy odds-against selection from the Scottish Championship.
It’s no fun for fans when a team packs up for their summer holidays before the season is over (any of the 3,500 Hearts fans who joined me in the South Stand for last weekend’s painful defeat to Hibs at Easter Road can testify to that), but for punters, it offers plenty of opportunity.
Dumbarton, in my opinion, have got their flip-flops and sunglasses on – and I think that, as a result, the Sons might take something of a pasting this weekend from a Rangers side that most definitely still has something to play for.
Since assuring themselves of another season in Scotland’s second tier with impressive back-to-back victories over Livingston and Falkirk last month, Ian Murray’s men have been beaten three times, have conceded eight goals and scored just one.
The 2-1 home defeat against Hibs wasn’t a great surprise, but 3-0 defeats against both Cowdenbeath and Alloa Athletic were well below the standards that the Sons have set for themselves this season and Rangers, on the back of a 4-0 roasting of Raith Rovers last weekend, can dole out another drubbing to Murray’s men on Saturday afternoon.
Rangers have been absolutely awful at times this season, but they have managed 4-1, 3-0 and 3-1 league victories against Dumbarton already during this campaign and, with a proper manager now in place, I can’t help but feel that the Ibrox side will win with ease here.
Of course, to back Stuart McCall’s side on Saturday, you’d need to forgive the humiliating 3-0 reverse that Rangers recently suffered at Palmerston Park against Queen of the South and Wednesday's draw against Livingston.
I’m willing to do that, though, because the capitulation against Queens and Livi disappointment appears to have been the exception rather than the rule in Rangers’ recent form book, with McCall’s men having won four of their last six games and lost just one in 12. Two of those wins came against Hearts and Hibs.
The Sons, frankly, have no cares and their fans may take the opportunity to enjoy the picturesque views of Dumbarton castle that the Bet Butler Stadium offers.
For Rangers, however, there is a significant advantage to be had if they can secure a runners-up spot rather than finish in third place when it comes to the treacherously difficult promotion play-offs, so I expect that the visitors will have no lack of desire on Saturday afternoon.
Therefore, I’m going to back Rangers -1 to win at Bet Butler Stadium at a juicy 13/10 with Paddy Power as my best bet from Scotland this weekend.
Best Bets
Dumbarton v Rangers – Rangers -1 (13/10 Paddy Power)
Your View?
Would you trust Rangers at the moment? Is this too risky a shout from Willie?
Let us know in the comments box below.
