SPFL Awards: Rangers | Peterhead | Morton

IT WAS another week of highs and lows in Scottish football, with Dundee United and St Johnstone booking William Hill Scottish Cup Final places, and Peterhead securing the League Two title.
St Johnstone's Stevie May celebrates reaching the Scottish Cup Final. Picture: SNSSt Johnstone's Stevie May celebrates reaching the Scottish Cup Final. Picture: SNS
St Johnstone's Stevie May celebrates reaching the Scottish Cup Final. Picture: SNS

However there were league woes for Morton, and Rangers and Aberdeen suffered Cup disappointment.

Dundee have their noses in front of Hamilton in the race for Championship promotion, whereas eight teams are still jostling for the play-off positions in League One.

Good week for... St Johnstone

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The Perth side didn’t just have a good week, they made history. Their 2-1 semi-final win over Aberdeen at Ibrox took the McDiarmid Park men to their first ever Scottish Cup Final in 130 years of history. Tommy Wright’s side are definitely worthy of a Scotsman award.

Bad week for... Steve Simonsen and Morton

Rangers’ reserve goalkeeper Simonsen has waited a long time to show what he can do, and he went on Twitter on Friday night to tell the world that his Scottish Cup chance meant everything to him, his team-mates, his kids and the Rangers family. He was fired up for it.

The world subsequently saw a poor attempt at controlling a back-pass, and Nadir Ciftci running in to secure a Dundee United win.

Just 12 months ago, Morton ran Partick close in the race for the top flight - they are now League One-bound after losing 2-0 at Alloa.

Team of the week – Peterhead

The Blue Toon squad is high on quality but low on quantity, but they have done enough to win League Two under the guidance of Jim McInally.

Unbeaten in the league at Balmoor all season, Peterhead have also been strong on their travels, securing a 2-0 win at Clyde on Saturday to clinch an overdue success.

Rangers’ move to League Two last year probably denied McInally’s men last year’s title, but their patience has been rewarded now.

Manager of the week – Jim McInally

The former Morton and East Stirling boss has built Peterhead into a strong side, and now has another title success to add to his CV.

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The Blue Toon may have been favourites for the fourth-tier title, but the former Scotland midfielder made sure they delivered.

Scottish Cup Player of the week – Stevie May (St Johnstone)

May said in the build-up to yesterday’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen that he wanted to silence the Dons fans, and to break his goalscoring duck against the side. He achieved both objectives yesterday at Ibrox.

Aberdeen led at halftime, but St Johnstone won through thanks to May’s second half double.

Scottish Cup Goal of the week – Steven Smith (Rangers)

It will be small consolation to the Ibrox side that they scored the best goal of the two semi-finals with Smith’s free kick.

He lifted the ball over the United wall and brought it down low enough to beat a diving Radoslaw Cierzniak, who perhaps could have made a better attempt at saving.

Championship Player of the week – Martin Boyle (Dundee)

The former Montrose striker is blossoming under Paul Hartley at Dens Park. Boyle grabbed two goals as Dundee saw off Cowdenbeath 4-0 to take top spot in the Championship table.

Boyle, who also scored against Hamilton Accies last weekend, grabbed his side’s second goal with a low drive just before half-time, and completed the scoring with a fine solo effort with 25 minutes left.

Could Boyle be the difference in the Championship title race?

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Championship Goal of the week – Mitch Megginson (Dumbarton)

Megginson played his part in bringing Ramsdens Cup winners Raith Rovers back down to earth, as the Sons beat Rovers 3-1 at Stark’s Park.

Megginson scored his side’s second goal, collecting the ball at the edge of the Raith penalty box and darting past two defenders before dispatching a shot past Lee Robinson.

League One Player of the week – Alan Cook (Arbroath)

The midfielder, who has already been relegated with Stirling Albion and Airdrie in his career, is doing his best to ensure that he does not complete an unwelcome hat-trick with Arbroath.

A defeat at home to Stranraer on Saturday could have seen the Red Lichties relegated, but Cook scored a brace of goals in a 4-2 win that sees Paul Sheerin’s men live to fight another day.

League One Goal of the week – Craig Molloy (Brechin City - second week running)

Brechin are one of the sides joining Arbroath in the relegation dogfight, but midfielder Molloy has earned his side four points in their last two games.

His strike from distance against Ayr last week secured a vital win (and a Scotsman Weekly Award), and his well-hit shot against Airdrie on Saturday earned him another Award, as well as a point for his side.

League Two Player of the week – Graeme Smith (Peterhead)

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Blue Toon strikers Andy Rodgers and Rory McAllister usually get all the plaudits, but Smith deserves recognition this week. Not only did he keep a clean sheet as his side wrapped up the title at Clyde, Smith saved a penalty in the last minute of the title-clinching game.

League Two Goal of the week – Paul Watson (Montrose)

The managerless Gable Endies had fallen a goal down to Queen’s Park and were in need of inspiration in what was basically an end of season game.

The ball fell onto Watson’s left peg 25 yards out from goal, and the Links Park players were almost celebrating before he made contact, such is Watson’s prowess with his trusted favourite foot.