Match Preview :- Droylsden - Saturday November 5th, 2011 (15:00:00)

Celtic are off to the Road Work capital of Tameside on Saturday as we make the short trip to neighbours Droylsden (kick off 3pm). Droylsden are currently eleventh in the table on twenty points, ten places and eighteen points behind Celtic with a game in hand. There will be a live match centre for this game.

Droylsden have had a poor start to the season by their standards. At home, they have won four and lost three. Most recently they beat Halifax 2-1, but before that lost 3-2 to both Hinckley and Hyde. Their other loss was a 2-1 defeat to Gainsborough. They started the season well at home, though, beating Nuneaton and Guiseley 2-1 and 2-0 respectively. Apart from the Gainsborough game, Droylsden have scored twice at home in every match.

Our last visit to the Butcher's Arms saw us leading 2-1 with two extra men and end that game in a 2-2 draw with a late second half goal from former Celtic forward Jody Banim. We had beaten Droylsden at home earlier last season, with a comprehensive 4-0 win. Celtic's record at Droylsden is not the best, with our last win there back in 2001 when we won 1-0 to secure promotion to the Conference National with a Stuart Locke penalty in the ninety-sixth minute. Over the last twenty years we have visited twelve times, lost five and drawn six.

Droylsden's top scorer this season is Danny Rowe, who has six, with Dan Gardener close behind on four. Generally the first half is lacking in goals with Droylsden scoring six and conceding six in this period. Their most dangerous period is around the eighty minute mark with seven goals, whilst their most vulnerable period is the last ten minutes, when they have conceded eight. On average, they score 1.9 goals per game at home (1.6 overall), whilst conceding 1.6 goals per game at home (1.5 overall). Their last clean sheet at home was to Guiseley in their first home game of the season, although they did shut out Solihull Moors at the start of October.

Droylsden have no suspension worries ahead of the match and appear to be injury free. Droylsden went out of the FA Cup midweek in their replay up in Blyth, a game Blyth won 2-1. In that match, Droylsden lined up as:
1. Paul Phillips
2. James Vaughan
3. Carlos Logan
4. Nat Kerr
5. John Hardiker
6. Warren Peyton
7. Dan Gardner
8. Stephen Hall
9. Danny Rowe
10. Dale Johnson
11. Luke Holden

Celtic won their last match on Saturday, beating Worcester City at home 2-0, both goals scored by Connor Jennings. Kristian Platt will be absent from the match with a fractured cheek bone, but Celtic are suspension free now. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Jan Budtz
2. Joel Bembo-Leta
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Rhys Meynell
5. Chris Lynch
6. Jack Rea
7. Stephen Brogan
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Phil Marsh
10. Lloyd Ellams
11. Connor Jennings

The Automated Prediction algorithm is suggesting that Celtic will win this one 4-2, but it will be a difficult game, and stats and form go out of the window in a derby. Hyde are at home to Histon and Gainsborough are away at Bishop's Stortford, games they should win; whilst Guiseley are away at Worcester in a tricky tie, so Celtic could do with a win to maintain our cushion.

There is a full fixture on Saturday:
Altrincham(22pts 8th) v Eastwood Town (12pts 20th)
Bishops Stortford(12pts 19th) v Gainsborough Trinity (30pts 3rd)
Blyth Spartans(9pts 22nd) v Colwyn Bay (21pts 10th)
Corby Town(24pts 5th) v Vauxhall Motors (14pts 17th)
Gloucester City(16pts 15th) v FC Halifax Town (20pts 12th)
Harrogate Town(18pts 14th) v Nuneaton Town (21pts 9th)
Hyde(35pts 2nd) v Histon (19pts 13th)
Solihull Moors(13pts 18th) v Boston United (24pts 6th)
Worcester City(22pts 7th) v Guiseley (28pts 4th)
Workington(11pts 21st) v Hinckley United (15pts 16th)

Directions
Distance: 5
Time: 15 minutes

Drive down Stamford street until it becomes Manchester New road, past B&Q.
The road forks by Audenshaw library, take the right hand fork, followed by an immediate left.
This is Droylsden road.
Stay on this road to some traffic lights with Droylsden precinct on your right.
Turn right here.
Just across the traffic lights, you will see the Butchers Arms pub.
The club is behind it.