On Saturday Celtic take on Worcester City at Bower Fold with a 3pm kick off. Worcester are currently sixth in the league on twenty-three points, one point off the play offs, and twelve points and five places behind top placed Celtic. There will be a live match centre for this game.
Worcester's season has been one of ups and downs, at the moment they are on an up, having won their last four games. A good start to the season saw them rise to their highest point of fourth, before three losses saw them drop to twelfth. Their best away result this season was a 5-1 win at Histon, whilst they have suffered two 4-1 defeats at Altrincham and Guiseley. Their last four games have seen them win three home matches against Harrogate Town, Bishop's Stortford and Solihull Moors and one away win at Blyth Spartans, which was their last away match. They have only lost once at home, 2-0 to Corby.
The last time Worcester visited the Fold it ended 0-0 in March 2011 at the end of last season. Celtic's last win over Worcester at Bower Fold was in March 2008, a game Celtic won 1-0, Alex Meechan grabbing a seventieth minute winner. Worcester's last victory over Celtic was at their place last season, a game they won 1-0 with a last gasp goal from Danny Glover. Their last victory at Bower Fold was back in April 2006, a game they won 3-2, Lee Ellington and Kevin Parr (in his three hundredth appearance for Celtic) scoring for Celtic, with Worcester again grabbing a last gasp winner. Worcester's only other win over Celtic was back in February 2000 when they knocked us out of the FA Trophy.
Worcester's top scorer this season is Mike Symons, who has nine goals, putting him joint fifth in the overall league goal-scorers chart, one behind Connor Jennings (in fourth), and four behind Phil Marsh (in second). Symons's closest rival for the Worcester Golden Boot is Luke Corbett on four. Worcester have found the net twenty-three times this season, putting them just outside the top five attacks, and have conceded nineteen, putting them just outside the top five defences, both of which Celtic are in (top scorers, fifth best defence). On average, Worcester score 1.8 goals per away game (1.7 overall) and concede two goals an away game (1.4 overall). Their most vulnerable period is around the seventy minute mark having conceded a third of their goals here, while they are very dangerous in the last ten minutes, scoring a third of their goals in that period.
Worcester have no injuries or suspensions ahead of the match on Saturday. In their last match, the 3-2 win over Harrogate Town, Worcester lined up as:
1. James Dormand
2. Martyn Naylor
3. Ryan Clarke
4. Lee Ayres
5. Danny Edwards
6. Andrew Smith
7. Tom Thorley
8. Emerka Nwadike
9. Matt Birley
10. Matt Symons
11. Luke Corbett
Celtic are flying high at the moment, but will be without Kristian Platt who suffered a broken jaw away at Colwyn Bay. Celtic's last match was the comprehensive victory over Altrincham, winning 5-1. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Jan Budtz
2. Joel Bembo-Leta
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Chris Lynch
5. Rhys Meynell
6. Jack Rea
7. Stephen Brogan
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Phil Marsh
10. Lloyd Ellams
11. Connor Jennings
The Automated prediction algorithm is suggesting a 3-2 win for Celtic in this encounter. With Celtic a clear three points ahead of Hyde and five ahead of Guiseley Celtic need to keep on winning to ensure that the rest of the league are playing catch up. Worcester will be another stern test, but one which Celtic can win. Guiseley are in FA Cup action, while Hyde are away at Harrogate.
There is a reduced program this Saturday due to some teams still being involved in the FA Cup. The other games on Saturday are:
Boston United (23pts 7th) v Colwyn Bay (20pts 12th)
Harrogate Town (18pts 13th) v Hyde (32pts 2nd)
Histon (16pts 15th) v Workington (11pts 20th)
Vauxhall Motors (14pts 17th) v Eastwood Town (9pts 21st)