Weekend CIS Cup/SPL

Rangers head into Sunday’s Co-operative Insurance Cup final against St Mirren looking for the first part of a potential treble.

With Walter Smith’s men 13 points clear at the top of the SPL and with a Scottish Cup semi-final to come against First Division Raith Rovers, few would bet against them doing so.

But their cup form has not been the best in 2010, having been taken to replays in all three rounds of the Scottish Cup, including one tie against the Saints.

That was the only time the Gers have failed to beat Gus MacPherson’s men in their last eight meetings.

I fancy a tight game at Hampden but can only see Rangers triumphing in the 90 minutes.

Although this is a chance for St Mirren to win their first major cup competition since 1987, a horror run of form has seen them slip to second bottom of the SPL table, just four points above Falkirk having played a game more.

Indeed the semi-final win over Hearts at Fir Park is their only victory in their last 14 games in all competitions.

A cup win would be fantastic, of course, but SPL survival must be the priority given the financial consequences that would come with falling into the First Division.

Not many wearing blue received pass marks at Ibrox last weekend as Rangers allowed Dundee United to come back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 and secure a Scottish Cup quarter-final place, but Nacho Novo will surely have done enough to seal his place in the starting XI on Sunday.

The Spaniard was a real threat from the flank, netting the third goal that looked to have rounded off a Gers win.

He has also netted twice against the Saints this season. Both those goals were the final strike of the game but I fancy him to start at Hampden and add to his decent record there.

He scored the winner in the Scottish Cup final against Falkirk last season and bagged a double against the same side at the semi-final stage of the League Cup at the National Stadium. He also scored against St Johnstone there the season before.

At 5/1, the diminutive forward is worth backing for first goal.

In the SPL, the Edinburgh derby is the early kick-off on Saturday at Tynecastle.

Both clashes between Hearts and Hibernian have finished level this season and I reckon the same outcome is likely again here.

Neither side is on a particularly good run of form. For Hibs, who are now in fifth place, it’s one win in seven following last weekend’s rather fortunate 2-2 Scottish Cup draw with Ross County while the Jambos have lost seven of 12 since the last derby meeting at Easter Road, including their last two.

Two of the last three at Tynecastle have finished goalless, while since the thrilling 3-2 game there on Boxing Day in 2006, the subsequent five have produced only five goals.

Given Hearts’ well-documented troubles in front of goal and Hibs’ recent lacklustre performances on the road, backing no goalscorer at 8/1 looks the way to go in this one.