Match Preview :- Rushall Olympic - Saturday December 23rd, 2017 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, there should be a Christmas Miracle as Celtic have their first home game since the FA Trophy game against Rushall Olympic six weeks ago. Ironically, the visitors are Rushall. Rushall are currently three places and five points above Celtic in twentieth on twenty-five points, having played two games more. There will be a match centre and Twitter feed for this match.

Rushall's season has been similar to Celtic's in many ways, hovering around the bottom sports, though with three away wins and two draws from their twelve matches, Rushall are slightly ahead. Rushall currently hold the record for the largest away defeat this season, when Grantham beat them 7-1 at the start of October. Since then, they have had a good spell of three wins on the bounce, including two away at Buxton and Stafford, that lifted them to a season high of eighteenth, but with their last two away games both being losses to Ashton and Workington, they have dropped two places again.

Rushall's top scorer this season is Danny Waldron, who has five of their thirty-one goals this season. They score an average of 1.4 goals per game (1.3 away), whilst conceding their forty-five goals this season at a rate of 1.9 goals per game, with 2.4 away from home. They have kept only one fclean sheet on the road, their recent 4-0 victory over Stafford, whilst they have failed to score in four away games (six overall), though the last time they failed to score away from home was at the start of October when Altrincham beat them 4-0.

We've met Rushall twice, both times this season. In August we travelled to Rushall and lost 1-0, thanks to the most dubious of penalties in the second half that Dominic Dell converted. Most recently, they visited Bower Fold for the first time, and Celtic won 3-2 after coming from behind twice thanks to Connor Hughes and Theo Bailey-Jones, for Connor Hughes to eventually grab the winner late on.

In Rushall's last match, the 2-1 away defeat to Ashton United, Rushall lined up as:
1. Jahquil Hill
2. Michael Williams
3. AJ Adelekhan
4. Sam Whittall
5. Joe Hull
6. Jordan Liburd
7. Charlie Duke
8. Brian Smikle
9. Richard Brodie
10. Sangha Jordan
11. Daniel Waldron

After some inclement weather, it's been three weeks since Celtic's last match, the 2-0 defeat away at Sutton Coldfield Town. In that match, we lined up as:
1. Joe Slinn
2. Oliver Crowley
3. Lee Neville
4. Danny Morton
5. Luke Ashworth
6. Alex Honeyball
7. Jordan Chapell
8. Jake Charles
9. Liam Dickinson
10. Mathew Wolfenden
11. Connor Hughes

Rushall have strengthened with the signings of Brian Smikle from Stourbridge, and Michael Williams from Salford City. Celtic have been forced to strengthen after the recalling of Joe Slinn to Port Vale. Celtic's have signed James Coates, but also Jake Turner on loan from Bolton, who'll probably start ahead of Coates. Also signing on loan is midfielder Chris Gallagher from Shrewsbury Town. Ross Killock and Tom Brown should both be available for selection after making the bench against Sutton Coldfield, whilst the extended layoff has allowed other knocks and niggles to heal.

Though it may seem a long time since Celtic's last win (over Rushall, ironically), our home form has been good this season. In fifteen matches, we have won nine and drawn one. In our last five, we have scored sixteen whilst conceding eleven, winning four and losing just once, when Mickleover turned us over 5-0. A win could lift us one place, but more importantly, it keeps the teams above in range, and would allow us to put some space between us and the relegation spot currently occupied by Sutton Coldfield.

Other matches this weekend:
Altrincham (44pts 1st) v Matlock Town (31pts 13th)

Barwell (28pts 16th) v Marine (23pts 21st)

Buxton (33pts 8th) v Stafford Rangers (28pts 17th)

Grantham Town (41pts 3rd) v Ashton United (38pts 6th)

Hednesford Town (32pts 10th) v Shaw Lane (42pts 2nd)

Mickleover Sports (31pts 12th) v Lancaster City (30pts 14th)

Stourbridge (31pts 11th) v Whitby Town (25pts 19th)

Sutton Coldfield Town (19pts 24th) v Witton Albion (33pts 9th)

Warrington Town (40pts 4th) v Coalville Town (30pts 15th)

Workington (39pts 5th) v Nantwich Town (25pts 18th)

Match Sponsor
FANS XMAS PARTY
Ball Sponsor
Glen Taylor
Man of the Match Sponsor
Moorlands Human Capital
Programme Sponsor
FANS XMAS PARTY