Jim Delahunt runs the rule over Rangers vs Dundee, Celtic's trip to Aberdeen, all the weekend action plus his acca
Stephen Robinson's side looked like earning a second successive draw at Celtic Park before a deflected shot denied them a point and the home side were dragging the ball to the corner flag to waste time late on.
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St Mirren made life difficult for Celtic
Credit: SNS
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Motherwell earned a well-deserved point against Rangers
Credit: Steve Welsh
Saints completed a third successive top-six finish last term and only just missed out on European football, but that's allowed the players to score 12 goals in the League Cup and book next Saturday's home tie against Hearts.
Motherwell warmed to their task against a ropey Rangers side last weekend but Jens Berthel Askou says he only has one fit striker in Apostolus Stamatelopoulos and Saints can take advantage.
Aussie midfielder Keanu Baccus has returned to Saints from Mansfield to boost the Paisley options, but last week's players kept Celtic at bay for 87 minutes and they're fully capable of turning their attentions to banking an early home win.
LIVINGSTON came back from two goals down to earn a draw at Kilmarnock last week and Davie Martindale's side can boost their tally to four points with a win over visiting Championship winners Falkirk.
The two promoted sides are no strangers to one another after battling it out four times last season and it's Livingston who took 10 of the available 12 points as the Bairns saw off everyone else on the way to the title.
Both teams will be very similar to last term as the bosses juggle options before the end of the transfer window and Livi's familiarity with their new surface can give them an edge to win this one at 13/8.
I've dealt with the other four Premiership matches elsewhere and four homes with St Mirren, Livingston, Rangers and Hibs pays out at 9/1 with the two away tips, Celtic and Hearts making up a 6-timer paying out at 26/1.
It's difficult to call the match of the day in the Championship despite Ross County and St Johnstone hogging the Friday night spotlight but I'm backing AYR to beat Raith and DUNFERMLINE to get the better of Airdrie.
I honestly thought Ayr would be odds-on to beat Rovers at Somerset so the general 11/10 gets Scott Brown's side into the Acca, but Neil Lennon's players will be slight odds-on to beat the Diamonds at 10/11 and the Pars' League Cup form gives them the edge.
Partick against Morton looks draw material at 21/10 and I'm taking the same view about Queen's Park at home to Arbroath at 23/10 after both sides banked a point against Raith and Ayr last weekend.
Shocking moment footballer collapses after he is hit in privates by firework as players run for cover
STENHOUSEMUIR gave Alloa plenty to think about last weekend before going down 2-1 and they're back at Ochilview against a wobbly Cove Rangers at a very generous 2/1.
It's a look-and-learn brief for the first weekend of the Championship in England but DONCASTER (17/20) and STOCKPORT (19/20) gave us a good start to League One last weekend and I'm backing James Challoner's County to win again away to Wycombe.
Wanderers' Kazakhstan millions didn't kick-in for last week's opening day defeat at Bradford but STOCKPORT chased home Birmingham and Wrexham last season and the Hatters can make it two from two at 17/10.
League Two MK DONS could only manage an opening day goalless draw with Oldham but expectations might have been overly high for that one and Paul Warne's side look well worth a second chance to get a first win at 13/8
Saturday SINGLE
STENHOUSEMUIR only went down 1-0 at home to Motherwell last month and last week's good show against Alloa points to 2/1 success against Cove Rangers today.
Weekend ACCA
No losers last week but three draws killed the bet. All five teams winning this weekend pays out at 33/1
St Mirren 21/20
Livingston 13/8
Ayr 11/10
Stockport 17/10
Rangers 1/7
RANGERS V DUNDEE 5.45pm Premier Sports
Russell Martin's players will take a 3-0 lead to Plzen on Tuesday and that cushion should ensure the home side can concentrate on justifying their position as the shortest price on Saturday's coupon.
2/13 and 1/7 is the price for punters to top their afternoon accas in the 5.30 kick-off and everything we've seen and heard from Dundee would point to that 14% top-up looking safe enough.
The new Ibrox boss read the riot act after last week's draw at Motherwell and it's almost unthinkable that Rangers could slip up after a superb midweek performance against Viktoria.
ABERDEEN V CELTIC Sunday 12.30pm Sky Sports
I didn't fancy the Dons at Tynecastle last week but the cup winners are back on home soil against the champions and the 6/1 chances can get on the scoresheet at least with BTTS at 7/10.
Celtic landed last week's recommendation of winning to NIL at Evens against St Mirren and while they needed most of the game to score, Saints were doughty opponents on day one.
Celtic are general 2/5 shots with Bet 365 best at 4/9 and winning-goal substitute Luke McCowan can probably rely on some of the more heavy hitters to earn Celtic all three points at Pittodrie.
DUNDEE UTD V HEARTS Sunday 3pm
United have set themselves up for further Conference League progression after Thursday's 2-2 draw in Vienna but the 3/1 Terrors could fine Hearts too strong at Tannadice on Sunday.
Derek McInnes' new-look Jambos landed the money for us with last weekend's win over Aberdeen at 11/10 and that fifth successive win can tee up a sixth on Tayside.
Jim Goodwin's players were clawed back twice to draw 2-2 at Falkirk last week and I fancy Hearts to keep new investor Tony Bloom happy with another three points at 10/11.
HIBERNIAN V KILMARNOCK Sunday 3pm
I tipped Hibs at 4/5 to win at Dundee last week and two goals from Martin Boyle in Belgrade will have the home fans rocking for Sunday's visit of Kilmarnock.
Killie were pegged back by Livingston after going 2-0 up at Rugby Park last weekend and George Stanger's red card will keep him out of what already looked a tough trip to Easter Road.
David Gray will have to balance this game with Thursday night's visit of Partizan but their two-goal Euro cushion is better than they could have wished for and Hibs can bank another three points here at 7/10.
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