Football Bet of the Day: Tense second leg expected in Scotland

Friday sees the start of the EFL Championship play-offs, as Hull City host Millwall, but I’m turning my attention north of the border to the Scottish Championship play-offs. 

Arbroath host Dunfermline Athletic (19:30 BST) looking to turn around a one-goal deficit from the first leg. Read on for my Football Bet of the Day.

Arbroath vs Dunfermline Odds

This tie is finely poised heading into the second leg and I think we are set for another cagey encounter between Arbroath and Dunfermline Athletic. These two will have played three times in the last week by the time they meet on Friday, having also met in their final fixture of the regular season.

That game finished 0-0, while Dunfermline came out 1-0 winners in the first leg having bagged an early goal through Christopher Kane. There really hasn’t been much to choose between these two this season, with just one point separating them at the end of the regular season.

They both only conceded 41 goals in 36 league games and so we can expect another tight game, especially given what is at stake. Fifty-six per cent of Arbroath games, and 53% of Dunfermline fixtures have seen under 2.5 goals this season, including their last two meetings. 

Arbroath are all in all, in dreadful form heading into these play-offs. They’ve won just three of their last 16 games and fell away from the automatic promotion race, but they have only lost twice at home in the league this season - although one of those defeats did come to Dunfermline. 

Dunfermline have lost just two of their last 14 matches and potentially should be backed on balance to hold onto their aggregate lead - but I think the play here is to back under 2.5 goals. We have seen nothing from either side to suggest this is going to be an open encounter and so I think under 2.5 goals is a decent Football Bet of the Day pick for Friday night. 

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