Airdrie and Montrose expected to strengthen as cinch League One and Two play-offs kick-off

Montrose and Airdrie will both have a more mature look to their respective teams for Tuesday night’s cinch Championship play-off semi-final first leg between the League One rivals.

Both have been difficult to split in the table this season, and in games, with Montrose edging the head-to-head record two wins to one plus a draw with 15 goals scored over the sides’ four meetings so far.

Stewart Petrie and Ian Murray both rested key players at the weekend and fielded youthful sides for Saturday’s concluding League One fixtures as Petrie pitched four youth team players into a defeat to Alloa while the Diamonds made wholesale changes for a 1-1 draw with Peterhead. In total Ian Murray made seven changes but the likes of Rhys McCabe, Calum Gallagher and League One player of the year Dylan Easton are expected to return to the fold for the crucial promotion play-off first-leg.

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The lower divisions’ play-offs follow a straight two-legged semi-final and final format between the second and third placed sides in one match with the winners meeting that of the fourth-placed team and the second-bottom side from the divisions above.

In League Two that sees Dumbarton put their third-tier status on the line heading to Edinburgh City and Annan Athletic hosting Forfar Athletic at Galabank with all lower league second legs completing on Saturday.

Dunfermline and Queen's Park complete the schedule of first legs on Wednesday as the Spiders’ temporary home Firhill is in use on Tuesday for Partick Thistle’s Premiership play-off first leg against Inverness.