On Saturday, Celtic start a series of four away matches in a week when we travel to Stourbridge (kick off 3pm) – weather permitting (their game on Thursday was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch). Stourbridge are currently fifteenth on fifty-three points, six places and eight points above Celtic having played two more games. There will be a match centre and Twitter feed for the game.
Stourbridge started the season well, with two losses in their opening thirteen propelling them to the play-off spots. However, from October onwards, wins were harder to come by, and in twenty-seven matches since, they have won six and drawn eight, seeing them fall down the league. Although they cannot be relegated, they also cannot reach the play-offs. Their last home match was a 1-1 draw with Altrincham, whilst their last win was at the end of March when they beat Sutton Coldfield Town 2-1 at home. Their last home loss was the game before in mid-March when they lost 3-2 to Ashton.
Leon Broadhurst is their top scorer, netting eleven of their fifty-eight goals (twenty-five at home), with both Jordan Archer and Luke Benbow close to his league tally on nine each. Overall, they score at a rate of 1.4 goals per game (1.3 at home), and concede at a rate of 1.2 goals per game (1.1 at home). They have conceded fifty goals, with twenty-one of them coming at home. Stourbridge have kept four clean sheets at home from eight overall, and failed to score in four home matches from ten overall.
Stourbridge's last match was Monday, when they drew 1-1 with Altrincham. In that match they lined up as:
1. Jake Gould
2. Darryl Westlake
3. Brad Birch
4. Paul McCone
5. Stuart Pierpoint
6. Joshua Cooke
7. Thomas Tonks
8. Leon Broadhurst
9. Luke Benbow
10. Chris Gallagher
11. Nicolae Carnat.
Celtic's last match was the 2-0 away (in name only) loss to Shaw Lane. In that match, we lined up as:
1. George Sykes-Kenworthy
2. Danny Morton
3. Alex Honeyball
4. Ross Killock
5. Luke Ashworth
6. Jack Taylor
7. Jake Charles
8. Oli Roberts
9. Liam Dickinson
10. Matty Wolfenden
11. Connor Hughes
Celtic will most likely be without Greg Wilkinson, Ross Killock and Tom Brown through injury though Liam Dickinson made it through ninety minutes on Thursday.
We have already played Stourbridge this season, when they came to Bower Fold in September, with Celtic winning 3-1, thanks to a brace from Liam Dickinson and an own goal from Aaron Forde. Although we are six places behind Stourbridge if we beat them, which we are capable of doing, and win the two games in hand, we would be above them. A win could see us rise three places, whilst a loss could see us drop one place.
Other games this weekend:Take the M60 to junction 4 and join the M56.
At junction 7 take the A556 for 9 miles to the M6, and join southbound.
Stay on the M6 for 60 miles to the M5.
Stay on the M5 for 6 miles to junction 2 (A4123, Birmingham (W), Dudley).
Cross the roundabout (exit 3 of 5) onto the A4123.
After a mile, at the roundabout, turn left (exit 3 of 7) onto the A461.
Stay on the A461 for three miles and bear left onto the A4102 (Collis Street).
At the crossroads, turn left onto High Street, the ground is on the rioght opposite the hospital.