Falkirk v Inverness CT Betting Tip Inverness to win to nil, 2015-05-30

Inverness to make history and lift the Scottish Cup

Sports Betting Tips

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Falkirk
Saturday 30th May – Kickoff: 1500hrs
Football – Scotland – Scottish Cup Betting Tips

You would have got very handsome odds at the start of the season if you picked Falkirk to face Inverness in the final of the Scottish Cup. Neither club were even favourite to win their semi-final matches but continued to defy the odds and will take their place at Scotland’s showpiece game. Falkirk have won the competition on two previous occasions, but the most recent of those successes was 58 years ago. If they can clinch the trophy for the third time, then the Bairns would become the first team from outside Scotland’s top tier, since Scotland split into three divisions in 1975, to win the Cup. Their opponents this weekend have never even reached this stage so will be hoping to create history of their own – and will be favourites to do so as the Premiership side.

Falkirk finished one position outside of the Championship play-off places which would have been their aim at the beginning of the season. There’s no doubt that the disappointment on missing out on one of those places would have been cushioned by reaching the Scottish Cup final. Their passage to Hampden has been pretty straightforward but they have yet to face a team from the top flight. Home wins against lower ranked Brechin and Cowdenbeath have been followed by hard-fought victories away to Queen of the South, and then in the semi against Hibernian, at Hampden. Both those clubs finished above them in the Championship so although they have not played a team from the league above, they were underdogs in those games but showed enough in both and have earned their right to contest the final.

Inverness’ route to the final has seen them face three fellow Premiership clubs which illustrates how well they have done to reach this stage and participate in their first ever cup final. There’s no getting away from the most dramatic and notable of those victories, however. Caley’s extra-time defeat of competition favourites Celtic in the semi-final was the most controversial match in Scottish football this season following a remarkable non-decision from all seven officials after defender Josh Meekings seemingly handled on the line. That was the huge stroke of luck John Hughes’ men needed, and one they tool advantage of to book their place for Saturday. The roles will be very much reversed this weekend, though, as the expectation is now on them.

Despite these clubs only have two Scottish Cups between them, they do have some recent history with the competition. Falkirk reached the final in 1997 only to lose out 1-0 to Kilmarnock, and again in 2009, going down by the same score to Rangers. Although Caley have not quite achieved those performances, they did cause a huge stir in 2000 when – as a first division team – they sensationally beat Celtic 3-1 in Glasgow. Caley repeated that feat three seasons later. Their manager, Hughes, is a Scottish Cup winner having won it as a player in 1995. Hughes also spent five years with Falkirk, as a player.

Falkirk v Inverness Betting Tips

History will be made on Saturday no matter who is victorious as Falkirk look to be the first lower-league team to win the Scottish Cup in a generation, and Inverness aim to get their name on the trophy for the first time in a short history. There is no doubt that Falkirk will be underdogs in this game as they come up against an Inverness team who comfortably finished third best in Scotland’s top league. The Bairns have not played since their league campaign ended on the 2nd of May and it will be interesting to see how they cope with that extended break. Caley did not enjoy a great preparation in their final league game last weekend when losing 5-0 to Celtic, albeit with a a much-changed line-up.

Inverness are rightly favourites to win on Saturday but the price for them to win in 90 minutes is plenty skinny. I do not envisage a lot of goals in this game as nerves will play their part with so much at stake for both clubs. Only six of the last 18 Scottish Cup finals have seen both teams score and that is a trend I can see continuing on Saturday. Falkirk were the lowest scorers of the top five teams in the Championship whilst Caley have kept two clean sheets in their four Scottish Cup games this season. As I do favour the Highland club to win their first Scottish Cup, I think the way to go here is for them to win to ‘nil’.

Inverness to win to nil 13/8 @ Skybet