Saturday sees Celtic face relegation threatened Gainsborough Trinity when they come to Bower Fold for the Conference North clash (kick off 3pm). Trinity are currently three points from safety in twentieth on twenty-six points, thirteen points and twelve places behind Celtic having played three games more. There will be a live match centre for this game.

One win in their opening seven games indicated that this would be a difficult season for Gainsborough, but they have slowly been turning it around, and one loss in the last five games means that they are now within touching distance of safety. Their last two games saw them beat Fleetwood and Vauxhall both 2-0 at home, though their away record leaves something to be desired, with their last away match seeing them go down 2-0 away at Harrogate. Their only away wins this season came within days of each other, when they beat Redditch and Solihull in September last year. Their most two recent wins ended a drought of one win in seventeen games and ten games without a win.

We last met Gainsborough earlier this season when we beat them 3-1 at the Northolme, ending ten years of being unable to beat them there. Trinity?s last visit to Bower Fold was in February last season when they beat us 2-1. They have not had a brilliant record at Bower Fold and in their last sixteen visits they have drawn three times and won twice, losing the other eleven games. Celtic?s last win over them at Bower Fold was in October 2007 when we were comfortable 5-1 winners, to reverse the 2-1 win they had at their place that season. The season before saw Celtic lose twice in the league to them, but knock them out of the FA Trophy at the second time of asking.

Gainsborough?s top scorer this season is Luke Beckett, who has scored eight goals, with Glynn Hurst his closest rival to the Golden Boot this season. Trinity are a second half team when it comes to scoring and conceding. The first half has seen them score ten of their thirty-three goals this season, whilst in the same period they have conceded fifteen of their forty-nine goals. Their most potent period is just after the interval when they have scored eight, whilst their most vulnerable period is around the seventy minute mark where they have conceded fifteen. On average they score 1.2 goals per game, and concede 1.7 overall and 1.9 away from home. Trinity have kept seven clean sheets, but only their two wins have seen them keep a clean sheet on their travels. They have failed to score in eight games overall, four at home and four away.

Gainsborough have released winger Chris Hall to join Alfreton, and have no suspension worries ahead of the match. In their last game, the 2-0 win over Vauxhall Motors, they lined up as:
1. Phil Barnes
2. Ryan Toulson
3. Nathan Peat
4. Mark Greaves
5. Anthony Peters
6. Andrew Boyce
7. Ashley Burbeary
8. Sam Aiston
9. Lewis McMahon
10. Luke Beckett
11. Darren Dunning

Celtic will be without Matty Barlow who is serving the last game of his three match ban, whilst Steve Woods will also be missing as he starts the first game of his three match ban for the red card picked up at Workington. Keith Briggs sat out Celtic?s last match, the 2-1 win away at Gloucester through injury, whilst Andy Smart will require assessing after suffering a bashed nose that saw him sit out the second half. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Dave Carnell
2. Richard Battersby
3. Graeme Law
4. Steve Woods
5. Warren Peyton
6. John Hardiker
7. Dave Hankin
8. Michael Carr
9. Joe O?Neill
10. Jody Banim
11. Andy Smart

The automated prediction algorithm has taken the recent form of the two teams, and cannot separate them, and is suggesting a 2-2 draw. Whilst a win would not move us up any places, both Corby and Northwich are within striking distance of us, and both could over take us if they win and we don?t.

Other games this Saturday:
Blyth Spartans (34pts 12th) v AFC Telford United (45pts 7th)
Corby Town (38pts 9th) v Southport (60pts 2nd)
Droylsden (46pts 5th) v Farsley Celtic (31pts 16th)
Fleetwood Town (66pts 1st) v Northwich Victoria (37pts 10th)
Gloucester City (30pts 17th) v Harrogate Town (22pts 21st)
Ilkeston Town (36pts 11th) v Hinckley United (49pts 4th)
Solihull Moors (32pts 15th) v Eastwood Town (45pts 6th)
Stafford Rangers (33pts 14th) v Alfreton Town (50pts 3rd)
Vauxhall Motors (21pts 22nd) v Hyde United (30pts 18th)
Workington (34pts 13th) v Redditch United (29pts 19th)