Match Preview :- Buxton - Saturday November 3rd, 2018 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic host Buxton in the league (kick off 3pm). Buxton are currently seventh on twenty-four points, three places and two points above Celtic. Buxton have lost only three all season, their last loss was a 4-0 defeat away at Scarborough, though that came in the middle of a four game streak without a win with Buxton having had three draws as well. There will be a match centre and Twitter feed for this game. The selected charity for the match is Ruben's Retreat, with collections happening at the ground.

Buxton have won six and drawn six this season, with only one league win away from home, when they beat Mickleover Sports at the start of September. However, they have had only two losses, losing most recently to Scarborough and the other being on the opening day away at Whitby when they lost 1-0. This has not been last minute equalisers to earn the draw but instead last minute equalisers to lose the win.

A third of their goals have come just before half time, whilst eight of their conceded twenty goals have come in the last ten minutes. Though they have the fourth best defence in the league, they are scoring only a goal per game away from home (1.4 overall) and conceding 1.4 goals per game away, with their stingy home defence conceding only 0.7 goals per game. They do not have a head and shoulders leader in the goals chart, with Diego De Girolamo just ahead on four goals, and three different players on three goals each. They have kept one clean sheet on the road (their first away game this season, a goalless draw away at Nantwich); though they have scored in every home game, they have drawn a blank in three away games, most recently the loss at Scarborough.

We've not beaten Buxton at Bower Fold in the league since a 3-1 win back in the 1990/91 season, though they have only visited twice since then, resulting in a draw in the 1991/92 season and, most recently, a 1-0 loss last season thanks in large part to Celtic's wayward shooting, Buxton converting one of only two chances. The last meeting between the two teams was back in January when Buxton scored twice in the second half to overturn the two goals from Liam Dickinson and Jordan Chapell to finish the game 2-2.

Buxton's most recent game as on Wednesday when they visited King's Lynn in the FA Trophy replay that they won in extra time. In that match, they lined up as:
1. Theo Roberts
2. Josh Meade
3. Alex Brown
4. Brad Roscoe
5. Greg Young
6. Scott Sephton
7. Oli Roberts
8. Gary Gee
9. Callum Chippendale
10. Liam Hardy
11. Kayde Coppin

In Celtic's last match, the 1-0 home win over Nantwich Town, also in the Tophy, Celtic lined up as:
1. Aidan Winterbottom
2. Liam Tongue
3. Scott Wilson
4. Ross Dent
5. Danny Brady
6. Chris Smalley
7. Scott Bakkor
8. Glenn Rule
9. Neil Kengni
10. Matthew Wolfenden
11. James Caton

Michael Clarke is Celtic's only injury worry, with the return of Josh Solomon-Davies and the arrival of defender Olly Marx, there will be something of a selection headache for Simon Howarth ahead of this match.

This is the first of two Saturday home games against Buxton, with them visiting again the next weekend in the Trophy. There will be a number of familiar faces in the visitors, with Oli Roberts having joined Steve Halford and Paul Phillips and recently, alongside Jan Budtz, Gary Gee and former academy player Jude Oyibo. Halford and Phillips will undoubtedly be geeing up Buxton, having left Celtic to be replaced by Steve Burr in our fall from the Conference North.

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