THE PARS saw their five-game winning streak snapped by Dundee United on Tuesday night meaning they face Ayr tomorrow (Friday) night in BBC Scotland’s live game (7.05pm) needing victory to keep in the play-off race.

The bookies consider that the Pars can join the Honest Men on 43 points come the finish of the game; Dunfermline are 6/4 (Betfred), a draw is 23/10 (Bet365) and Ayr 2/1 (Hills/Betway). Whether the Pars can catch their Ayrshire rivals before they run out of games is open to debate but the two teams are in contrasting form at present. Dunfermline have only conceded one goal in their last six matches and Betvictor’s 16/5 price that they win the game to nil is worth a small interest.

Prediction: Dunfermline 1 Ayr 0.

BT Sport are focusing on the battle for a top six spot in the Premiership when they televise Livingston’s must-win game against Hibernian tomorrow night (BT Sport 1, 7.45pm). Livi can trim the gap with their opponents to four points if they land Coral’s 21/10 odds for victory. The Hi-Bees are 6/4 (Bet365) and a draw 9/4.

Rangers’ faint hopes of ousting their fierce rivals for the title will be extinguished if they fail to reward backers of Bet365’s 7/2 price that they triumph at Parkhead on Sunday (Sky Sports Football, 12pm). Celtic are 5/6 and a draw 27/10 (Hills). More than 2.5 goals in the game is even money (Betvictor); under 10/11 (Bet365).

The leading protagonists for first goalscorer in the Old Firm derby are as follows: Odsonne Edouard 4/1 (Paddy Power), Alfredo Morelos 11/2, Michael Johnston 6/1 (Paddy Power), Scott Sinclair 13/2, James Forrest 7/1, Tomas Rogic 17/2 (Paddy Power), Ewan Henderson 9/1 (Paddy Power), James Tavernier 11/1, Olivier Ntcham 12/1 (Paddy Power), Daniel Candeias 18/1 (Betvictor).

The Bahrain Grand Prix is the second race of the F1 season (Sky Sports F1, Sunday 4.10pm) and Lewis Hamilton is predicted to reverse the result in Australia and claim victory. The outright prices are as follows: Hamilton 13/8 (Hills), Sebastian Vettel and Valtteri Bottas both 3/1, Max Verstappen 8/1, Charles Leclerc 11/1, Pierre Gasly 40/1 and then it is 750/1 and upwards anyone else.