On Tuesday night Celtic are at home to Hyde United for the Conference North clash (kick off 7:45pm ? there will be a live match centre for this game). Hyde are currently sitting in the third relegation spot, two points adrift of safety in twentieth on twenty-eight points, fifteen places and twenty-two points behind Celtic.

Hyde have not had the best of seasons winning seven games all season, though they have had a couple of good results recently, beating Telford and Fleetwood away and Farsley and Hucknall at home in their last ten games, winning four and losing six since we played them on Boxing Day. Although in their last five games they have drawn a blank three times, scoring has not really been a problem for them, and they have some of the league?s highest aggregate score-lines, including a 4-4 home draw with Workington, a 6-3 defeat away at Gateshead (which was the best home win until we beat Hinckley on Saturday 7-1), and a 5-2 defeat at home, also to Gateshead.

Our last four meetings with Hyde have all resulted in Celtic wins, the most recent being the 2-0 win at Ewen Fields on Boxing Day. Last season we beat them home and away with identical 3-1 score-lines. Prior to those results, Celtic ended a run of three straight Hyde victories (competitive meetings) by knocking them out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win at Bower Fold. Hyde?s best result at Bower Fold was a 7-3 game on New Year?s Day in 2007; whilst Celtic?s best result was a 6-0 win at Bower Fold on New Year?s Day 2003. In all meetings over the past twenty years, Celtic have won nine of the eighteen games at Bower Fold, Hyde have won eight and there has been one draw (January 1995, in the FA Trophy). At Ewen Fields, Celtic have won twelve of the twenty meetings, lost six and drawn twice.

Hyde?s top scorer, and the league?s third best marksman, is Chris Simm, whose seventeen goals is eleven better than his closest rival, Danny Douglas-Pringle on six. Five of Simm?s goals have come from the spot, and Hyde have the highest penalty conversion rate in the league with six. Hyde have kept four clean sheets this season, only one of which came away (Hucknall Town). However, they have only failed to score in just nine matches. Hyde?s most dangerous period is the last twenty minutes when they have scored seventeen of their forty-three goals this season. Their most vulnerable period is around the thirty to forty minute mark when they have conceded sixteen of their sixty-two goals this season. On average they score 1.3 goals per away game (1.4 overall), and concede 2.3 per away game (2.1 overall).

Hyde have no suspension worries ahead of the match, thought Adam Oakes will need a fitness test ahead of the game. In their last match, the 3-0 away win over Fleetwood Town, Hyde lined up as:
1. Craig Dootson
2. David Morley
3. Karl Munroe
4. Adam Oakes
5. Farrell Kilbane
6. Neil Fitzhenry
7. Paul Howarth
8. Tom Manship
9. Chris Lynch
10. Danny Douglas-Pringle
11. Neil Tolson

Celtic are also suspension free, though Andy Smart is definitely out as he recuperates from his ankle operation. In their last match, the 0-0 draw up at Blyth, Celtic lined up as:
1. Paul Phillips
2. Ashley Woolliscroft
3. Rhys Meynell
4. Barrie Keeling
5. Michael Bowler
6. Paul Sykes
7. Steve Torpey
8. Keith Briggs
9. Matty Barlow
10. Lee Ellington
11. Chris Denham


The automated prediction algorithm is suggesting a 3-2 win for Celtic in this match, which would be a fantastic result, with Harrogate, Alfreton and Droylsden breathing down our necks for the play-off spot we currently occupy. Hyde will be all out for the win though; they need to get out of the relegation spots. Hyde are mid-table in the away form chart, with 36% of the available points taken in the last ten away games. Celtic have taken 40% of the last available points in their last ten home matches, including the fantastic 7-1 result against Hinckley. Another result like that would see the crowds back for Fleetwood on Saturday.