By Scott McClymont

Consensus is a notoriously rare commodity in Scottish football but you'll be hard pressed to find anyone who believes the creation of the Premiership play-offs was a bad thing for the game.

Sir Alex Ferguson famously christened this period of the season "squeaky bum time" and there would have been no shortage of twitching following a crucial SPFL weekend, which indicated the outcome of the next seven days could play a pivotal role in deciding who clinches the final place in next season's top flight.

Saturday saw two of the key Championship contenders go head-to-head in what may prove to be a dress rehearsal in Fife as Peter Houston's Falkirk produced another display of remarkable resilience, coming from behind twice to draw with Raith Rovers. Craig Sibbald and super sub Bob McHugh cancelled out efforts from Craig Barr and Ryan Hardie to keep the Bairns in pole position to finish behind champions Rangers in the second tier.

Second place would be a source of pride but more importantly would save Falkirk having to face two additional games in their bid to end their six-year top flight exile, a fact not lost on Houston.

He said: "It could end up being a crucial point. Hibs need to score goals and I think Hibs will win the last two games. And it means we have to beat Morton to try and give ourselves that ten days extra and two games less."

Alan Stubbs would describe himself as a glass half full kind of guy and he needs to be after his side followed up their encouraging 3-2 win over Rangers with a drab 0-0 draw away to Morton.

"We have got a really exciting end to the season," Stubbs stated.

"We have been to a final, we are in the Scottish Cup Final and we still have a chance of promotion. How could I not be full of hope? I am surprised how people think sometimes it is doom and gloom.

"We have still got an unbelievable end of the season to play for so I am full of optimism. I am excited by it, and let's see what happens for the next three or four weeks."

This is not to forget Raith Rovers, who extended their unbeaten run to ten games and remain the form team heading into the end-of-season showdown. Raith haven't tasted defeat since March 1 and although they know it will take six games to reach the Premiership, confidence is high at Stark's Park that they won't simply make up the numbers.

Mid-season arrivals Hardie and Aidan Connolly have added goals and creativity to a well-coached side while goalkeeper Kevin Cuthbert was a play-off hero in a penalty shoot-out two years ago as Hamilton stunned Hibs at Easter Road.

Accies appear to have spared themselves more late drama after a comprehensive 3-1 win over Dundee United with Grant Gillespie choosing the perfect time to score his first Premiership goal. Ahead of the game, Guy Demel had hit out at United's acceptance of defeat and there was nothing at Tannadice to prove him wrong.

While Michael McGovern and Ali Crawford have taken the plaudits for most of this term, Carlton Morris' contribution has been critical to Hamilton's season. Martin Canning's men have won three of their last six matches with on-loan Norwich man Morris hitting the winner against Inverness CT as well as a double against United. As the club's Twitter account noted, six of Morris' seven goals this term have come against the Highlanders or Mixu Paatelainen's team.

Victory over Kilmarnock at New Douglas Park next weekend will cement Hamilton's status after the Ayrshire side suffered a crushing lunchtime date in Inverness. Kallum Higginbotham had given the visitors an unlikely advantage at the interval only for Conrad Balatoni to produce a throwback to the Gary Locke era of calamitous defending.

The centre back, who had already been lectured by Jamie MacDonald for losing his bearings at set pieces, got his goalkeeper sent off due to a lazy back pass before failing to track Ross Draper from a corner to see ICT got 2-1 ahead. Without top scorer Josh Magennis, Killie were laboured in and out of possession and while they have undoubtedly become more organised under Lee Clark they need their Northern Irish talisman back alongside Kris Boyd to give Killie the required fire power for survival.

This weekend's close of the regular Championship season as well as key basement fixtures in Lanarkshire and Dundee provide a wonderful appetiser to May's main event. There promises to be no shortage of drama as the pressure mounts but when it comes to finding agreement on who will emerge on top at the end of it all, good luck.

By Laura Brannan

Aidan Nesbitt returned to his parent club to collect the Academy Player of the Year award at Celtic's glitzy ceremony on Sunday but it's vital the teenager doesn't get carried away at this stage in his career.

The attacking midfielder, who is on loan at Partick Thistle until the end of the season, is in the midst of an invaluable learning curve at the moment and has to maintain focus on the football and not the prizes.

He started his third game for the Jags in their 2-1 defeat to Dundee on Saturday but while he is still far from the finished product, Nesbitt provided an element of flare and excitement in the opposition's half.

Playing behind the lone striker in a midfield three, he started on the left but interchanged with Steven Lawless on the right to offer width and supply down the flanks. His quick and tricky style proved difficult for the Dundee players to cope with and supporters caught glimpses of his natural skill.

At 19 years old though, Nesbitt still has a lot to learn and an extended stay at Partick Thistle could prove to be the best decision of his career. Of course this is not necessarily something he has control over but with Lawless and David Amoo out of contract and yet to agree new deals, it's an option manager Alan Archibald must be considering.

With Patrick Roberts joining Celtic on an 18-month loan deal this could prove to be a new and beneficial opportunity for young players looking to settle and develop rather than do the rounds in search of regular football.

Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Nesbitt said: "I don't need to rush into things. I can stay with Celtic and do my best there, train with them, get my fitness and try to get as many pre-season games as I can.

"Then, I can leave on loan if I need to, but obviously I want to play for Celtic, that's the aim. If that can't happen next season, then it's the season after I'll aim for."

Nesbitt may see an open door with a new Celtic boss about to arrive, but with the likes of Ryan Christie, Gary Mackay-Steven and James Forrest all ahead of him in terms of experience, he's unlikely to make the impact he dreams of having watched his close friend Kieran Tierney break onto the scene this season.

If he's realistic about his chances he must consider what will help his awareness and intelligence on the pitch. Nesbitt may be keen to return to Celtic and learn there but ironing out the weaknesses in his game, such as his final touch, will only happen if he's playing week-in-week-out.

Nesbitt admits he has already improved as a player after a slip up against Motherwell in February which saw him concede a penalty.

"What happens is you make a mistake and you learn from it," he said.

"Something similar happened today with Gary Harkins, I was tracking him in the box and I didn't make the same mistake.

"So you take mistakes and use them in the next game, and even positive things you do, you can take confidence from that.

"Everything you do is a learning curve, and some are better than others. It was obviously hard at the time, but I feel as if now that I've done it I'll know not to do it again.

"Even w hen you're out on the pitch, if you make a mistake you can't dwell on it or let it hinder your performance. All you can do is try to make it right. Me personally, I try to put it behind me, wipe the sweat from my face and start again."

By Scott McClymont

This season's Scottish Championship has been dominated by title tales and play-off races with the remarkable story of Dumbarton perhaps passing under the radar.

On Saturday the Sons, one of only two part-time sides, secured a fifth consecutive season in the Championship thanks to a 2-1 victory over St Mirren. Having reached the second tier in 2012/13 under Alan Adamson, Ian Murray continued his fine work before departing for St Mirren last summer.

Stephen Aitken earned his shot following a sustained period of excellence at Stranraer and he has fought off the challenge of Livingston to keep the club up against the odds once more with a squad comprised of a mixture of youth and experience.

Former top flight performers Mark Brown, Darren Barr, Frazer Wright, Steven Saunders and Jon Routledge have helped on-loan youngsters Jamie Lindsay, Calum Waters and Tom Walsh. Grant Gallagher has shown his quality after following Aitken from Stranraer while Christian Nade's seven goals have been pivotal following his January arrival.

Garry Fleming, who played in Dumbarton's first Championship game in 2012, netted the winner against Saints and claimed the result was one of his best feelings in the game.

"With me scoring the winner it's better for me than when we beat Cowdenbeath to seal survival three years ago. It's also the best team performance all season for me.

"We've had a few lows this season but over the piece we've done what we need to do.

"When you beat teams like Hibernian and St Mirren you expect to stay in the league and we've done that with games to spare."

Next season's Championship could include Dundee United, Hibernian, Kilmarnock and St Mirren while one of Ayr United, Peterhead or Stranraer could yet join Dunfermline in the league to give Dumbarton hope of yet another survival mission.

No matter the make up of the division, Dumbarton fans are sure to enjoy the ride.