Bank holiday Monday sees Celtic on their travels again, this time to Alfreton. Alfreton might have topped the table at one point this season, but at the moment they four places and eight points ahead of us in the table at fourteenth, having played a game more.
Since topping the table for several consecutive weeks, Alfreton have been in free fall. With only one win in the last ten games, they have dropped down the table like they've got weights tied to them. Their one win came away at Barrow (they won 3-0). At home, they have not had a win in their last seven games, and managed only once to draw (0-0 with Worcester). They have taken just five points from a possible thirty.
In the last ten games, they have scored six goals (half of these in one game at Barrow), and conceded fifteen. They have kept one clean sheet, and failed to score six times. Their top scorer is Peter Duffield, with sixteen, putting him joint fourth in the overall goal-scorers chart. After a prolific season last season, Mick Godber is not in the top twenty, with nine goals this season. Both Mick Godber and Peter Duffield scored recently in the three nil win over Barrow, however, neither they nor anybody else have scored in over 200 minutes of football.
Alfreton have scored most of their goals in the second half, with eleven going in around the hour mark, though they have also scored seven in the dying seconds of the first half (mainly through Peter Duffield, as this is the time he likes to score). Most of their conceding is done in the second half, too, with thirty-one of their forty-four conceded goals going in during the second half, and the hour mark seeing them concede eight goals. They have also conceded heavily in the last ten minutes of games.
On average, at home, they score 1.2 goals per game, while conceding 1.1 goals per game, though this stat includes their early season superiority.
They have failed to take six points off any team this season, and are hoping to make Celtic their first six pointer, as they have beaten us once already this season, also on a Bank Holiday Monday, back in August at Bower Fold, when the final score was 3-2 to Alfreton. Droylsden, Hinckley and Hucknall have all managed to take six points off Alfreton though.
With no apparent suspension or injury worries, Alfreton may well line up as they did in their last run out, that saw them lose 1-0 away at Hinckley on Good Friday:
1. Lee Butler
2. Richard Cooper
3. Nicky Heinemann
4. Luke Foster
5. Grant Brown
6. Matt Fisher
7. Chris Bettney
8. Ian Robinson
9. Michael Godber
10. Peter Duffield
11. Lee Featherstone
Celtic didn't pick up any injuries or suspensions against Runcorn, where we lined up as:
1. Craig Dootson
2. Grant Black
3. Danny Caldecott
4. Barrie Keeling
5. Paul Sykes
6. Paul Shepherd
7. Steve Smith
8. Scott Bonsall
9. Andy Parton
10. Aron Wilford
11. Andy Haskins
Celtic's impressive season turn around continued apace with another 1-0 victory, this time over Runcorn, to add to the 1-0 away at Lancaster, 1-0 at home to Worcester, the 1-0 away at Worksop. Celtic have now won four consecutive games, and will be going into this fixture against Alfreton with all the confidence, ability and nouse needed to add a fifth victory to their tally. But Alfreton still have a quality squad, and won't just roll over. In addition, Celtic need to keep getting the points to ensure distance between the relegation zone and us. After many winning games, we're still on scoring a goal per game on average away from home, and conceding 1.5, but this is steadily improving. Andy Hayward is still our top scorer in the league, with six (eleven overall), though Aron Wilford is catching up fast.
The automated prediction has gone for a 2-0 win for Celtic in this match, but given Alfreton's quality, a draw is probably more reasonable. That said?We have been playing well enough to get a win, recently, so who knows?