Scottish Championship: Leaders Dundee host bottom-side Cove Rangers

Dundee beat Cove Rangers 3-0 at Dens Park in February

There's a gripping TV series airing just now - that has Dundee manager Gary Bowyer's attention among others - starring one of the city's greatest sons, but still, the show has nothing on the drama continuously unfolding in the Scottish Championship.

If a script of this season was presented to Succession star Brian Cox, he would surely say yes to any role.

As the second tier heads into its penultimate weekend, few teams can afford to relax with so much still on the line.

It's top versus bottom under the Friday night lights as Dundee host Cove Rangers.

'It's an incredible league'

If you're only figuring out now, with two rounds of fixtures to go, that the Championship is enchanting, then where have you been?

Just five games ago, Dundee were seven points adrift of then-leaders Queen's Park, now, Bowyer's men are a point ahead of Owen Coyle's side, who have stumbled of late.

A win for the Dark Blues on Friday means Queen's must match that result the next day away to Morton, to set up a fantastic finale next week when the top two meet at Ochilview.

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Or, if you're Bowyer, it's all about looking forward to the next game. And only the next game. Throughout the campaign, the Dundee boss has never wavered from his approach, insisting he only pays attention to the next challenge in front of him and his team. And why would he change when so far, so good?

"The message never changes for us," Bowyer said. "Run as hard as you can and empty the tank, give us everything you've got. The players know they have got to come off that pitch, look in the mirror and say, 'I gave it my all' and that's all we can ask."

His players have responded well, notching up the joint-highest goals tally in the division, while preserving the meanest defence.

"I'm loving it. It's good to be involved in something that excites you," Bowyer added. "It's an incredible league."

'No one expects us to get a result, but I do'

Cove Rangers have much to play for too as they battle to beat the drop.

After earning a precious three points against Arbroath, and bringing a 10-game winless run to an end, the Aberdeen side have clawed themselves level with ninth-placed Hamilton Academical, who have played a game more.

While Dundee strive to jump right back up, Cove are scrambling to avoid dropping right back down to League 1. Paul Hartley, once in charge at Dens Park, pulled them up to the second tier only to move on and since his mid-season return things have not gone nearly as smoothly.

"We said a couple of weeks ago, 'can we take it into the last game?'," the former Scotland international said. "We're going to take it into the last game of the season, but on Friday we want to try and get a result to put more pressure on the two teams above us.

"It's the Championship, anything can happen, especially at this stage of the season. We hope Dundee head into the game with a little bit of nerves. No one expects us to go and get us a result, but I do."

Two weekends left for the table to take shape and then, the ever-dramatic play-offs. Strap yourselves in for the ride.