Match Preview :- Darlington - Saturday September 24th, 2016 (15:00:00)

It's back to league action after our FA Cup win on Tuesday night, when we travel to Bishop Auckland, the current home of Darlington. Darlington are currently fourth in the league on twenty-three points, sixteen places and seventeen points ahead of Celtic. There will be a match centre for this game.

Freshly promoted Darlington have continued their charge up the leagues, and quickly found their footing in the Conference North. They are unbeaten away from home in the league this season, but have lost twice at home, losing 4-3 to Alfreton and (most recently) 1-0 to Kidderminster. They have won their other three home games. They have scored twenty-three goals this season, with only Gloucester, Harrogate and Fylde scoring more. They are scoring at a rate of over two goals a game. Goals this season have been coming from Terry Galbraith (five), Liam Hardy (four) and Mark Beck (four), with six other players chipping in. They have conceded fifteen, putting them just outside the top five defences in the league. They are conceding at a rate of 1.4 goals per game.

This is the first time Celtic have played Darlington.

Darlington were knocked out of the FA Cup at the weekend, losing 2-0 to Lancaster after playing most of the match with ten men. In that match, they lined up as:
1. Paul Woolston
2. Liam Marrs
3. Gary Brown
4. Terry Galbraith
5. Jordan Watson
6. Tom Portas
7. Leon Scott
8. Josh Falkingham
9. Liam Hardy
10. Mark Beck
11. Nathan Cartman

Celtic got through the FA Cup at the second attempt on Tuesday night, beating Witton 2-1. The squad was reduced by two players being cup tied and several injuries, Graham Kelly the latest casualty with rib bruising, and with Callum Bagshaw coming off at half time after picking up a knock. In that match, we lined up as:
1. Tony McMillan
2. Callum Baghsaw
3. Danny Wisdom
4. Jay Gordon
5. Matty Hughes
6. Nick Ryan
7. Danny Pilkington
8. Garry Gee
9. Andy Owens
10. Steve Tames
11. Aaron Chalmers

A win for Celtic won't improve our position, but it will prevent us from falling further down the table with both Bradford and Altrincham able to overtake us on Saturday.

Other matches on Saturday:
AFC Fylde (24pts 1st) v Gainsborough Trinity (12pts 14th)
AFC Telford (10pts 17th) v Chorley (22pts 5th)
Alfreton Town (12pts 13th) v Kidderminster Harriers (23pts 3rd)
Altrincham (4pts 21st) v Boston United (11pts 15th)
Curzon Ashton (9pts 19th) v Stockport County (15pts 11th)
FC Halifax Town (18pts 10th) v Bradford Park Avenue (3pts 22nd)
Harrogate Town (24pts 2nd) v Gloucester City (21pts 6th)
Salford City (21pts 7th) v Brackley Town (19pts 8th)
Tamworth (19pts 9th) v FC United of Manchester (9pts 18th)
Worcester City (12pts 12th) v Nuneaton Town (10pts 16th)

Directions
Distance: 114
Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes

Take the M62 to junction 29 and join the M1 junction signposted for Leeds.
Stay on the M1 for 36 miles to the A1(M) and join the A1(M).
Stay on the A1(M) until it becomes the A1 and then stay on the A1 until junction 58 (A68).
Take the exit onto the A68 following signs for Bishop Auckland.
At the rounadbout at the end of the sliproad take the first exit onto the A68.
Stay on the A68 for 9 miles to a roundabout with the A688.
At the roundabout take the third exit onto the A688.
After 1 mile, the club is on the left.