Match Preview :- Boston United - Saturday December 3rd, 2011 (15:00:00)

On Saturday Celtic will face a very tough test in Boston United, one of those rare teams who play better away from home. Boston are currently tenth in the league on twenty-seven points, sixteen points and eight places below Celtic. There will be a live match centre for this game.

Boston have won eight games this season, five of which came away from home. Unsurprisingly, they have beaten Workington, Bishop's Stortford and Histon. More surprisingly, they beat Harrogate and most recently, Gainsborough Trinity. Boston have lost on their travels, losing 1-0 at Solihull, and 6-1 at Altrincham. They've yet to draw away from home, though they have drawn three home games. After starting the season defensively solid, with eight goals in eleven games conceded and four clean sheets, in their last eight games they have conceded fifteen. Boston have failed to score six times this season, twice in their last three games, when they were beaten 2-0 at home by Hyde and 1-0 away at Solihull.

Boston's previous visits to Bower Fold (there have been four) have seen them come away empty handed every time. Their last visit in February of this year (but last season), saw them lose 3-1 thanks to goals from Jennings and Marsh, and an own goal. Our meeting last season saw us beat them 3-0, whilst our meetings in the Conference National in 1992 and 2002 saw us win 2-1 both times. At Boston it's a different matter, and though Celtic have managed a 1-1 draw back in November 1992, we have lost 4-1 (in 2001) and 3-1 last season. Our most recent visit saw us lose 1-0 thanks to one mistake that was punished.

Boston are hardly free scoring this season, with Marc Newsham their top scorer with six, closely followed by Jason Lee who has five. This has Newsham just scrape into the top twenty goal scorers in the league. Five of Newsham's goals have come away from home. With a quarter of Boston's goals coming in the last ten minutes, they leave it late, whilst their most vulnerable period is just after the restart with seven of their conceded twenty-three goals coming in that spell. On average they score 1.3 goals per game on their travels (1.2 overall), whilst conceding 1.4 (1.3 overall).

Boston are suspension free, and could see the return of previously injured players Tom Ward and Ben Fairclough who both came through ninety minutes of a friendly midweek, whilst Chesterfield Loanee, Jordan Burrow has returned to his parent club. In their last match, the 3-1 away win over Gainsborough, Boston lined up as:
1. Paul Bastock
2. Jordan Fairclough
3. Gareth Jellyman
4. Ben Milnes
5. Alan White
6. Kevin Austin
7. Tyrone Kirk
8. Danny Sleath
9. Jason Lee
10. Marc Newsham
11. Ian Ross

Celtic are also suspension free, and will be checking on the fitness of Jan Budtz, Kristian Platt and Lloyd Ellams, all of whom missed out on Saturday's 3-1 away win over Blyth in the FA Trophy. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Craig McGillivray
2. Joel Bembo-Leta
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Rhys Meynell
5. Chris Lynch
6. Jack Rea
7. Steve Brogan
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Phil Marsh
10. Arthur Gnahoua
11. Connor Jennings

The automated prediction algorithm is suggesting a 2-1 win for Celtic in this match, maintaining an unbeaten home record that stretches back to January 11th. Boston are stern opponents who will be aiming to make sure we cannot go an entire year unbeaten at home. It would be expected that there will be regulation victories for Guiseley (at home to Workington) and Nuneaton (away at Eastwood), but with Gainsborough having a tricky away tie at Corby, at least one will drop points, whilst Hyde face a stiff test away at Worcester City. This could be a glorious chance to put ourselves just two points behind Hyde whilst maintaining our two games in hand. Saturday's fixtures in full:
Bishop's Stortford (15pts 20th) v Blyth Spartans (11pts 22nd)
Colwyn Bay (25pts 13th) v Droylsden (28pts 7th)
Corby Town (30pts 6th) v Gainsborough Trinity (31pts 5th)
Eastwood Town (13pts 21st) v Nuneaton Town (31pts 4th)
FC Halifax Town (27pts 9th) v Altrincham (25pts 11th)
Gloucester City (25pts 12th) v Hinckley United (17pts 19th)
Guiseley (32pts 3rd) v Workington (17pts 18th)
Solihull Moors (20pts 15th) v Harrogate Town (22pts 14th)
Vauxhall Motors (18pts 17th) v Histon (19pts 16th)
Worcester City (28pts 8th) v Hyde (48pts 1st)

Match Sponsor
Match day sponsor
required
0161 338 2828
Ball Sponsor
Zoe Travis
Man of the Match Sponsor
Man of the Match sponsor
required
0161 338 2828
Programme Sponsor
Programme sponsor
required
0161 338 2828