Match Preview :- Hyde United - Sunday January 1st, 2012 (15:00:00)

The second of the double header takes place on New Year's Day as top placed Hyde come to the Fold after drawing the first round. Celtic remain eight points behind Hyde with two games in hand, so a win for the Celts is the only way of putting the league title in our hands.

The stats are slightly more favourable for Celtic going into the home match. Celtic are unbeaten at home, whilst Hyde have lost twice this year, both times away. Losing at both Halifax (2-3) and at Guiseley (0-2). Additionally they drew their last two away games at Hinckley (0-0) and again at Worcester (2-2). Hyde have won twice away from home in their last seven away games, beating Boston 2-0 at the start of November, and at the end of October when they beat Harrogate 3-0. Hyde's best away result was a 4-0 win at Corby Town back in August.

Hyde's last visit to Bower Fold saw they come away 2-1 winners, after previously beating Celtic at Ewen Fields. This followed on from a 4-2 win the season before at Bower Fold. Celtic's last win over Hyde at Bower Fold was back in March 2009 when we won 4-1 the last win of a five consecutive winning streak over our neighbours. The last match between the two was the excellent 1-1 draw at Ewen Fields a few days ago. This is the score-line that the automated prediction algorithm is predicting for the match on New Year's Day.

Hyde's top scorer is Scott Spencer, who is still Scott Spencer, who is now five goals behind Damian Reeves of Altrincham after the Robins striker struck three times against Droylsden. Phil Marsh, who scored the opener against Hyde has equalled Spencer's goal tally, and the pair are now on eighteen goals each. Right behind the three on fourteen goals is Connor Jennings.

Hyde have scored fifty six goals this season, averaging 2.3 goals a game, the same as Celtic, who have found the net fifty-one times. Conceding on Boxing Day has meant that Celtic dropped out of the top five top defences whilst Hyde dropped to third behind Nuneaton and Guiseley. Away from home Hyde score an average of two goals per game, whilst conceding 0.9 goals per game.

Hyde will Adam Griffin available for selection on Sunday, but David Birch and Chris Worsley are both still serving suspensions. In the Boxing Day match, Hyde lined up as:
1. David Carnell
2. Josh Brizell
3. Sean Williams
4. Danny Hall
5. Gianluca Havern
6. Andy Pearson
7. Tunji Moses
8. Callum Byrne
9. Danny Broadbent
10. Scott Spencer
11. Reece Gray

Celtic were will be without Rhys Meynell for the match, who still has another match to serve, whilst Callum Warburton was injured for the match. In the match against Hyde, Celtic lined up as:
1. Jan Budtz
2. Joel Bembo-Leta
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Kristian Platt
5. Chris Lynch
6. Jack Rea
7. Stephen Brogan
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Phil Marsh
10. Connor Jennings
11. Mitchell Austin

Celtic need the three points in this match, standing between Celtic and those points are a very good Hyde side. Additionally, Guiseley are breathing down Celtic's neck, with a game in hand and only four points behind.

Other matches on Sunday (Celtic are second with 48 points):
Colwyn Bay (28pts 12th) v Vauxhall Motors (22pts 18th)
Droylsden (28pts 11th) v Altrincham (32pts 8th)
Eastwood Town (13pts 21st) v Boston United (31pts 10th)
FC Halifax Town (39pts 5th) v Gainsborough Trinity (38pts 7th)
Gloucester City (26pts 15th) v Worcester City (38pts 6th)
Guiseley (44pts 3rd) v Harrogate Town (25pts 16th)
Histon (27pts 13th) v Bishops Stortford (19pts 19th)
Nuneaton Town (41pts 4th) v Hinckley United (19pts 20th)
Solihull Moors (27pts 14th) v Corby Town (32pts 9th)

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