Home and Away: Back East Fife for three points

18Dec 2012

Jonno Turner turns his attentions to sunny Scotland as he plucks out two more festive picks for his Home and Away column.

We're off to Scotland for our two picks today - and focusing on two games which will have a massive effect on all of the teams involved.

First of all, let's focus on in-form East Fife, who host bottom two side Stranraer at the Bayview Stadium, looking to make it four consecutive wins in the league.

The home side have been excellent of late, and nine points from nine, including two victories on the road, will have given Billy Brown's charges a massive confidence boost as they head into the busy festive period.

Two wins from three on their own patch will have the Methil side desperate to weigh in with another positive performance in front of their own fans here - and a win could move the hosts level on points with third place Forfar.

Brown will be particularly happy with the attacking quality his squad has shown in recent weeks, and eight goals in three outings suggests that the Fifers are more than capable of dishing out a punishment to their guests this evening.

Stranraer travel from Dumfries and Galloway sitting precariously in the relegation play-off position with around a third of the season played - and boss Stephen Aitken will be keen for his side to arrest a slump which has seen them fail to win eight of their last 10 league outings.

The Blues line up just one point above bottom side Albion Rovers, and eight consecutive losses away from Stair Park suggests that they may struggle to change that situation this evening.

Most worrying for Aitken will be the fact that his side have shipped a whopping 20 goals in their last eight on the road, and those defensive weaknesses look set to cost them as they travel to face a side firing on all cylinders of late.

History favours the hosts, who have won the last four meetings between these two sides - and scored a massive 15 goals in that time - which makes them my home bet of the day.

Bet 1: East Fife (HOME) @ 1.77

Staying in the Second Division now, as the aformentioned Albion Rovers welcome Forfar Athletic to Cliftonhill.

The hosts sit rock bottom of the third tier, and seven without a win going into this game will have home boss Todd Lumsden feeling the pressure.

Just one victory in five at home suggests that the Wee Rovers could do with some major changes - and five conceded in their last two indicates that their defensive line should be the first port of call.

Confidence will have been hit following four losses from five ahead of this one, and the Coatbridge side will be desperate to pick up a positive result in order to get their season back on track.

Forfar travel to North Lanarkshire unbeaten in five of their last seven - and that has left the Loons in third place in the table.

Three undefeated from six on the road isn't quite promotion form, and boss Dick Campbell will be keen to improve those performances, starting with a win here.

And 10 goals scored in their last half a dozen league outings away from Station Park suggests that the visitors have enough in their locker to hit their struggling opponents.

Bet 2: Forfar Athletic (AWAY) @ 2.36