Rivals on a high and ready to hit the goal trail

Ladbrokes Premiership playoff final first leg
BT Sport 1, 7.45pm Thursday

Playoff finals are usually tight, nervy affairs, but Dundee United and Hamilton Accies can provide some goals at Tannadice.

Both sides are going into this Ladbrokes Premiership playoff final first leg on a high.

United were largely outplayed for over three quarters of their two legs against Falkirk, but produced a barnstorming late show to steal a win and go though.

And they had previously seen off Morton convincingly in the quarter-finals.

Accies needed to beat Dundee on Saturday or they would have been automatically relegated, with Inverness winning, and they responded by thrashing Neil McCann’s side 4-0.

Those were morale-boosting wins for both teams then and, with neither team boasting the tightest of defences, overs could be the shout. There’s every chance the prospect of having to play six games to win promotion will catch up with United eventually, but that’s likely to be in the second leg on Sunday.

With hitman Simon Murray in splendid form after a goal in each of his last four games, United will look to try to claim a first-leg lead in Tayside.

But although Accies had lost four in a row before their win against Dundee, they had been performing well and were due a break.
Their best player, Ali Crawford, has started to look interested again after a lull in form and could be a key man tonight, along with rejuvenated David Templeton.

It could and should be a decent game with both sides opting to attack and that could lead to goals.

Recommendation
Over 2.5 goals
1pt 21-20 bet365, BetBright

Bet on this match at soccerbase.com

Team news
Dundee Utd
Only Lewis Toshney is out for United.

Hamilton
Accies are without defender Nicky Devlin, but Georgios Sarris should return following a back injury.

Key stat
Six of United’s last seven games have produced at least three goals