SPFL play-off finals: History awaits, league places in danger ahead of first legs
- Published
It's the build-up week to the Scottish Cup final, but six sides have climaxes just as important to them and their fans that will determine the division in which they will play next season.
Dumbarton look like strong favourites to retain their League 1 status after winning 3-1 at Edinburgh City on Monday, while the Championship and a Pyramid play-off match-ups to follow on Tuesday.
Here's what to look out for...
Championship play-off final: Airdrieonians v Greenock Morton (Tue, 19:35)
Like Edinburgh, Airdrieonians were denied a play-off last season after the season was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The side who finished second behind League 1 champions Partick Thistle have already gone one better than their last appearance in the play-offs, the 2017 semi-final loss to Alloa Athletic, as they look to reach the second tier for the first time since being relegated, as Airdrie United, in 2013.
Ian Murray's side will be on a high after their thrilling 4-3 extra-time aggregate win over Cove Rangers, leaving them unbeaten in five games and having won six home games in a row.
Gus MacPherson's Morton, who finished second bottom of the Championship, needed extra time to edge out Montrose, who finished two places and five points behind the Diamonds in League 1, after a goal in extra time.
They will not want to have to repeat the comeback they faced after the 2-1 first-leg defeat suffered against Montrose, especially as they have only won two games in their past eight, as they look to extend their six-year spell in the second tier.
Pyramid play-off final: Kelty Hearts v Brechin City (Tue, 19:45)
A win over toiling Brechin City would take former Fife juniors Kelty Hearts into the senior league set-up for the first time.
Managed by former Scotland midfielder Barry Ferguson, Kelty blew away Highland League champions Brora Rangers 6-1 on aggregate in their semi-final.
Brechin must put behind the disappointment they felt after their appeal to the SPFL against having to face a play-off, based on the fact that Kelty had only played 13 games before their Lowland League season was called because of the pandemic, was rejected.
Former Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle striker Nathan Austin scored a semi-final hat-trick for Kelty
The form of the two sides could not be more contrasting. City only won once in 21 outings as they finished a distant bottom of League 2.
Kelty, meanwhile, had won nine consecutive games before their league season ended in December.
Brechin will take heart from the fact that it was one of their League 2 rivals, Stranraer, who ended that run with a Scottish Cup win in Fife. The side managed by former Aberdeen, Queen of the South and Dunfermline Athletic midfielder Michael Paton has also only lost two of their past five outings.
They must add at least one more win if they are to avoid dropping out of the senior set-up for the first time in 57 years.