Hamilton Academical v Rangers Betting Preview – Scottish Premiership February 24

Gers should have few problems putting away the struggling Accies again

Football Betting

Rangers won 4-1 on their most recent visit to New Douglas Park but the final score-line was only achieved with a couple of late penalties and a goal with the final kick of the match in which the Accies had fought back well after going behind the first half. Gers have been at the forefront of the campaign to get artificial pitches banned in Scottish Premiership football and Accies’ was voted the worst of all 42 professional clubs in a poll last summer so how much will the title-chasers be looking forward to another 90 minutes on the 3G?

Hamilton Form

Hamilton’s defeat of St Johnstone earlier this month, and an earlier draw at Dundee, may have been a false dawn as they fell into old habits against Hibernian last week and were well beaten. Before that point against Dundee, the Accies had lost their five previous games with manager Martin Canning paying the price at the end of January. Brian Rice is now in charge of team matters but he faces a monumental task to improve his team’s prospects, though St Mirren’s equally dire form could mean they will get a chance to redeem themselves at the end of the campaign via the play-offs. There are simply too many players at Hamilton who aren’t up to standard and many are nearer the end of their careers than the beginning. If they are relegated their best prospects, like defender Scott McCann, will likely be cherry-picked by bigger and richer clubs.

Rangers Form

Rangers have kept clean sheets in four of their last five matches in all competitions but off-the-field matters have been hogging the headlines in recent days. Kilmarnock boss Steve Clarke accused Rangers fans of sectarian abuse following their 5-0 Scottish Cup fifth-round replay defeat at Ibrox and it’s not the first time this season that those accusations have been levelled. Rangers have condemned the actions of some of their supporters but Steven Gerrard is keen to concentrate on his team’s efforts on the pitch and he’d have been delighted by the goalscoring return of Alfredo Morelos in midweek. The Glasgow giants look a different side when Colombian striker is in full flow but it’s going to be all-but impossible for Rangers to close that eight-point gap on arch-rivals Celtic in the matches that remain, especially as the Hoops seem to be getting stronger with every game.

Hamilton v Rangers Head-to-Heads

Hamilton have won just one of their last 22 matches against Rangers and have failed to record a single victory at New Douglas Park in that time. Of those 22 matches, going back to 2008, only two have ended in draws. Rangers have scored 28 goals in their last eight meetings and four of those they won without conceding a goal.

Hamilton v Rangers Current Best Odds

Hamilton 12/1, Draw 11/2, Rangers 1/4 (Odds correct at 10.30am February 22)

Hamilton v Rangers Predictions

This could turn ugly very quickly for the Accies. Morelos was on fire against Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Wednesday and also scored on Rangers’ last visit to New Douglas Park making a bet on the Colombian to be an Anytime Goalscorer a no-brainer at 4/5. Rangers to win minus two goals on the Handicap is a tempting 15/8 with Betway, who quote the away side at Evens to Win to Nil.