Scottish Championship & League 1: History awaits in play-off semi-finals

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Greenock Morton are trying to avoid stepping down a division

History could be made, long waits from promotion ended and long stays in divisions terminated as the Scottish Championship and League 1 play-off semi-finals kick-off with their first legs on Saturday.

Six sides chasing promotion, two battling to avoid relegation, they will look to set themselves up for victory ahead of the return games on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Brechin City await the winner of the Pyramid Play-off semi-final after Saturday's second leg between two sides looking to win promotion to the Scottish Professional Football League for the first time.

Here's what to look out for - and what's at stake - on Saturday (all kick-offs 15:00 BST).

Montrose v Greenock Morton

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Stewart Petrie is looking to lead Montrose to the second tier for the first time since 1992

Greenock Morton's six-year stay in the Championship is under threat after they finished second bottom behind Ayr United on goal difference.

Gus MacPherson's side should be hot favourites to progress to the final. They are from the league above, their opponents are part-time players and Montrose have not played in the second tier since being relegated from the old First Division in 1992.

However, the Greenock side are without a win in six outings and their only two victories in nine have been after penalty shootouts in the Scottish Cup.

In contrast, Stewart Petrie's Montrose have only lost one of their last eight home games and will be full of confidence after a 3-2 final-day win over champions Partick Thistle that allowed them to leapfrog faltering Falkirk into fourth spot.

Indeed, it is the third season in a row that Montrose have finished fourth in the third tier since winning the League Two title in 2018.

They missed out last season after the play-offs were cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic and will hope to learn from two years ago, when they beat relegation threatened Queen of the South 2-1 at home before being thumped 5-0 in the return leg.

Morton, though, proved a class above the last time they were in the third tier, when they were promoted as champions immediately after relegation, and eased Montrose aside 4-0 in Greenock in their last meeting, in the League Cup back in August 2013.

Cove Rangers v Airdrieonians

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Paul Hartley's Cove Rangers are seeking a third consecutive promotion

History awaits Cove Rangers if they come through the play-offs in their first season in League 1 to secure a third consecutive promotion after winning the Highland League then League 2.

Should they do so, it would justify the investment made in recruiting former Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley as manager and their new stadium on the outskirts of Aberdeen.

However, to do so, they will have to overcome the side that defeated them 2-0 on their own patch two weeks ago before defeating Falkirk by the same scoreline to also pip Hartley's side to second place by two points.

Like Montrose, Airdrieonians were denied a play-off last season, when the Diamonds finished third.

They will hope to go at least one better than the last time they managed to kick a ball in the play-offs, losing the 2017 semi-final to Alloa Athletic.

Ian Murray's side head for Balmoral Stadium seeking a fourth consecutive win as they look to reach the second tier for the first time since being relegated, as Airdrie United, in 2013.

Cove, though, will look to rekindle the form that had them challenging for the title for much of the season. A repeat of their 2-0 win over Saturday's visitors in March and a 1-1 draw in Airdrie in November would be enough to take them to the final.

Stranraer v Dumbarton

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Jim Duffy (right) is hoping to keep Dumbarton in League 1

Stranraer are looking to bounce straight back up to League One at the first time of asking after their eight-season stay in the third tier ended as they finished a distant bottom amid financial troubles at Stair Park - and a curtailed fixture list because of the pandemic.

However, to do so, Stephen Farrell's side must first defeat a Dumbarton team who finished second bottom of League One despite winning three of their final six league games.

Jim Duffy's Sons, who have not been in the bottom tier since 2012, also have gone five games against Stranraer without defeat.

May started brightly for Dumbarton after a takeover by Birmingham-based private equity investment firm Cognitive Capital Ltd promising "significant plans" for the club was followed by a stoppage-time winner over Peterhead that lifted the side above Clyde.

However, the Bully Wee responded with a late winner of their own over East Fife on Thursday to consign Dumbarton to second bottom and the prospect of a second relegation via the play-offs in three years after dropping from the Championship in 2018 following a defeat by Alloa Athletic.

Stranraer, meanwhile, finished the league season with a flourish, just falling short of the runners-up spot despite only one defeat in seven outings, edged out by Edinburgh City on goal difference and Elgin City on goals scored.

Elgin City v Edinburgh City

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Gary Naysmith only took over as Edinburgh City manager in March

The two Cities are two more sides looking to make history.

Neither have managed to win promotion from senior football's bottom tier since admission to the senior set-up - Elgin being elected to join in 2000 and Edinburgh winning their way there by beating East Stirlingshire in a 2016 play-off.

Having finished third for the second season running and having missed out on a play-off last season because of the pandemic, Gavin Price's Elgin are looking to improve on their one appearance in the play-offs. After finishing second in 2016, they lost to Clyde in the semi-finals.

Clyde were also Edinburgh's semi-final nemesis when they made their only appearance in the play-offs after finishing third in 2019.

However, following two seasons as runners-up, promotion this season would complete a steady progress since promotion from the Lowland League.

They finished 12 points clear of Elgin last season, but this season only goal difference separated the sides and, while Elgin go into the play-offs with only one defeat in five outings, Edinburgh have only two wins in six.

Gary Naysmith's capital outfit do, though, have history on their side, being unbeaten in their last nine meetings with Elgin and winning all three this season, including the latest - a 2-0 success at home on 1 May.

Kelty Hearts v Brora Rangers

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Dylan Easton (left) scored Kelty's opening goal against Brora

Kelty Hearts are in pole position to face Brechin in what is a controversial Pyramid play-off final.

Brechin, who have finished a distance bottom in the League 2, had argued that it was unfair that they would have to face sides declared winners of their respective leagues after hardly playing any league football this season because of the pandemic.

Their counter proposal to expand League 2 to 12 teams next season rejected, Brechin look likely to face a Kelty side who played only 13 times in winning the Lowland League after Barry Ferguson's side won the semi-final's first leg away from home.

Steven Mackay's Brora Rangers face an uphill task not only because of the 2-0 deficit but because they only played three times in winning the Highland League.