Match Preview :- AFC Telford - Tuesday August 16th, 2016 (19:45:00)

On Tuesday, Celtic travel to Telford (kick off 7:45pm). Telford have lost two and drawn one of their opening games this season, leaving them on one point currently. There will be a match centre for this game.

Telford's draw was away at FC United, a game that finished 0-0. Their opening match, away at Fylde, finished 1-0 to Fylde, and Telford's most recent game, Saturday's home match against Tamworth, finished 2-1 to Tamworth. That goal was Telford's first of the season.

Last season, Telford finished one point clear of relegation, though they had made themselves mathematically safe with a game to go by beating Worcester the week before. The finished six places and six points behind Celtic, and scoring was their major concern having one of the lowest number of goals scored in the league at forty-seven. Only two other teams scored less. However, with only sixty goals conceded they were left with the same goal-difference as Celtic, at -13.

Celtic don't have the best of results against Telford, especially at home. The last time we beat them at Bower Fold was 1996. We have done slightly better at the New Bucks Head with our last win there in 2010, when we won 1-0, with a Kevin O'Connor own goal separating the two sides. We had already beaten them that season at their place in the FA Trophy replay – after they'd held us to a 1-1 draw at Bower Fold (Keith Briggs with Celtic's goal), we won 2-1, with Keith Briggs again scoring to cancel out Shane Killock's second minute goal and Joe O'Neill putting Celtic through. In recent times though, the results have definitely been going Telford's way. They beat us 2-0 at their place last season to record a rare win for them at that time, and then drew 5-5 at our place, coming back from 5-2 down. In ten visits, we have won two, drawn one and lost seven. Our heyday against Telford was in the early nineties, when we beat them in seven out of twelve matches, losing only once between 1992 and 1996.

Telford look to have a full squad to choose from, and in their last match, the 2-1 defeat to Tamworth, they lined up as:
1. James Montgomery
2. Dwayne Samuels
3. Darren Campion
4. Dan Preston
5. Gianluca Havern
6. Lucas Dawson
7. Sean Williams
8. Micah Evans
9. Josh Wilson
10. Tom Peers
11. Lee Fowler

Celtic should be able to welcome back Aaron Chalmers, who sat the last match, the 4-0 home defeat to Salford City, out suspended, and injured. Also missing was Tony McMillan, who will need a fitness test to ensure he is fully fit again. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. George Willis
2. Pete Wylie
3. Danny Wisdom
4. Matty Hughes
5. Nick Ryan
6. Kristian Platt
7. Danny Pilkington
8. Jimmy Ball
9. Adam Farrell
10. Callum Bagshaw
11. Henoc Mukendi

Celtic seem to have a better record away from home of late, and can hopefully add to their one win already this season, but as Telford showed last season, the desire to beat their former manager gives that little extra impetus.

There is a full program this week. Other midweek matches (Curzon on Monday):
Curzon Ashton v Darlington
Altrincham v AFC Fylde
Boston United v Tamworth
Brackley Town v Alfreton Town
Chorley v Bradford Park Avenue
Gainsborough Trinity v Harrogate Town
Nuneaton Town v Kidderminster Harriers
Salford City v FC United of Manchester
Stockport County v FC Halifax Town
Worcester City v Gloucester City

Directions
Distance: 100
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

From the M67 join the M60 towards Stockport.
After 7 miles, leave the M60 at Junction 4 (Chester, M6) to join the M56 Stay on the M56 for 7 miles, coming off at junction 7 (Northwich, M6) to join the A556.
The roundabout can be avoided by using the slip road.
Stay on the A556 for 5 miles to the roundabout with the M6.
Join the M6 southbound (Birmingham) avoiding the roundabout by using the slip road.
Stay on the M6 for 52 miles, coming off at junction 11 (Wolverhampton).
At the roundabout at the end of the slip road turn right (exit 4 of 5) onto the A460.
Stay on the A460 for 2 miles to the junction with the M54.
At the roundabout with the M54, turn right (exit 3 of 4) to join the M54 towards Telford.
Stay on the M54 for 17 miles to junction 6 (Telford West).
At the roundabout at the end of the slip road turn right (exit 3 of 4) onto the A518 (you will go down a hill and past Tesco).
Almost immediately, there is a roundabout.
Go straight across (exit 2 of 3) to stay on the A518.
Almost immediately, there is a roundabout.
Go straight ahead (exit 2 of 4) to stay on the A518, following the signs for Whitchurch A442.
After 300 yards, there is a roundabout dominated by Furrows Ford garage.
Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto Haybridge Road.
As you cross over a railway bridge, there is parking for the ground on your left (in Telford college of technology).
The ground is opposite the college.