- Hamilton Academical won four of their last five competitive fixtures, winning the first leg of this tie 3-1.
- Forfar won four and drew one of their final five League Two fixtures, finishing 4th with 50 points to reach the promotion play-offs.
- Hamilton won both competitive H2H meetings since 2022 (W3-0 LC, W3-1 1st Leg).
Accies to end the season in style
Following a 3-1 victory in the first leg of this relegation-promotion play-off semi-final, Hamilton Academical FC are in a strong position to progress through to the final of this play-off tie and with it, the prize of Scottish League One status for the 2026-27 campaign.
Accies were exceptional in the 1st Leg, dismantling Forfar Athletic’s game plan with some excellent ball movement and pressure. The final third control of talisman Oli Shaw was simply too much for the League Two side to handle, as the South Lanarkshire side’s leading scorer for 2025-26 slotted two.
Hamilton finished 9th in the Scottish League One table this season, picking up 34 points, but a late-season surge saw them just edge into the play-offs. Darian MacKinnon has really turned things around at the club, installing a tough-to-break 4-2-3-1 and encouraging his players to play compact football, which they did to great effect in the 1st-leg.
With a two-goal cushion and home advantage, Hamilton should be more than capable of finishing the job on Saturday, but Forfar’s need to attack and their direct style could see an open fixture. Blair Alston and Gus Mailer are the engines of Forfar’s midfield, Mailer was ever-present in League Two while Alston brings a little more creativity and leadership to proceedings.
Forfar need an early strike
Scott Shepherd is the most likely outlet for Forfar’s attack, he grabbed a late consolation in the 1st-Leg and contributed several goals this season.
Oli Shaw is Hamilton’s talisman and the player that should cause Forfar the most problems on Saturday. Stuart McKinstry, who had a hand in the goalfest in the 1st-Leg, also adds a real attacking threat. Kyle MacDonald is another option who can contribute a goal or an assist, having scored in the 1st-Leg and providing both goals and assists this season.
The bookies have clearly sided with the favourites here, with Hamilton 11/25, Forfar 49/10 and the draw 13/4. Accies will have the game in hand with a two-goal cushion, but Forfar won’t back down as easily as that, as Jim Weir’s men need the win. I don’t think Hamilton can afford to sit deep, as Forfar’s direct style and transition attacks could punish them, while MacKinnon’s men have the control and game management to stifle the visitors. Over 2.5 goals seems a solid play at 57/100.
