Scottish Championship: Title decider, play-off push and race to avoid the drop
- Published
Dundee are unbeaten against Queen's Park this season, including two 3-0 wins at Dens Park
Scottish Championship final day | |
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Date: Friday, 5 May Time: 19:45 BST | |
Coverage: Watch Queen's Park v Dundee live on BBC Scotland, BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website & app and follow all the other games online and on BBC Sounds |
Going into Friday's final day, nine of the 10 teams in the Scottish Championship don't know which division they'll be playing in next season.
There's a title decider, play-off race, and relegation scrap to be decided... what more could you possibly want after an utterly compelling season?
Here's your guide to a frantic Friday...
Winner-takes-all decider on TV
Queen's Park and Dundee will fight for the title - and automatic promotion to the Scottish Premiership - at Ochilview live on the BBC Scotland channel and BBC Radio Scotland.
Dundee stumbled in sight of the winning line last weekend, drawing with Cove Rangers at Dens Park, but Queen's Park failed to capitalise the following day, losing 2-1 at Greenock Morton. That means they enter the final match two points behind.
It's perfectly poised. Owen Coyle's side know a win will secure an unprecedented third promotion in a row, and a return to the top-tier of Scottish football for the first time since 1958.
But Dundee need just a point to secure a return to the top-flight at the first time of asking, and have beaten Queen's Park 3-0 twice at Dens this season, and got a 2-2 draw at Ochilview.
Gary Bowyer's side have drawn four of their last five, somewhat limping to the line. But another scrappy draw is all they need.
The push for the play-offs
Four teams are in the hunt for the other two promotion play-off spots as they desperately bid to prolong their season and reach the Premiership.
Partick Thistle occupy third place after a run of one defeat in 12 under Kris Doolan. They make the trip to Kirkcaldy to take on Raith Rovers, the only side with nothing to play for.
A point is very likely to be enough for them, given only one of Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Ayr United can overtake them as they meet, plus their significant goal difference advantage over Morton.
Ayr sit above Inverness on goal difference in fourth - the final play-off berth. The winning side in the Highlands will guarantee a top-four spot, and Inverness must be favourites.
Billy Dodds' side have made a sensational late surge, winning six of their last seven and only drawing with Dundee. The Scottish Cup finalists have only lost one of their last 10.
But they'll be acutely aware of Ayr's threat, and in particular that of the league's top scorer, Dipo Akinyemi, who has 20 goals.
Dougie Imrie's Morton have been the surprise package. Last term, Imrie came in and steered them away from trouble as they finished seventh, just five points clear of the relegation play-off place.
They still have a chance of sneaking into the top four, but need to win at Cove and hope for favours elsewhere.
The fight for survival
The section no-one wants to be in.
Cove lifted themselves off the foot of the table with that hard-fought point at Dens last week, but still sit in the relegation play-off spot, a point clear of Hamilton Accies but two behind Arbroath in the safe haven of eighth.
Arbroath and Accies meet in a high-pressure contest at Gayfield.
Dick Campbell's side took the title fight to the penultimate day last season, but now need a point to guarantee safety for another season, unless Cove win and address an 18-goal swing. A win would seal their status for sure.
If Cove win, Paul Hartley's side will avoid the drop automatically. That combined with a Hamilton win would guarantee safety altogether.
At best, Hamilton will be in the play-off, and to salvage that a win is a necessity, while they also need a favour from former captain Imrie against Cove.
The stakes couldn't be higher. There's drama in every fixture. If you had any plans on Friday, cancel them. This is unmissable.