Match Preview :- AFC Telford - Saturday March 8th, 2014 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic face league leaders AFC Telford (kick off 3pm). Telford are currently first on sixty-two points, thirty-four points and eighteen places ahead of Celtic, although Celtic have a game in hand on them. There will be a match centre for this game.

Telford are top, but second placed North Ferriby United are two points behind with a game in hand, so Telford will be eager to maintain their advantage by winning on Saturday. On the face of it, they are in with a good shout of doing so, with the respective form of the two teams. Telford have only lost five times this season, and have won their last four games. They have been in the top eight all season, and in the play-off spots since December. The last team to beat them was Barrow, who won 3-1 at Telford in mid-January. The last time they lost away from home was the start of November when they lost 4-2 at Stockport.

Telford also have a remarkable record at Bower Fold, and have not lost here since September 1994. In their last twelve visits, they have won five and drawn five, losing only twice. Their last visit here in October 2010 was a 1-0 win for Telford, although the 08/09 season was better for Celtic, with Celtic beating Telford twice in Telford, once in the league (1-0) and once in the FA Trophy (2-1) after Telford had held us to a draw at Bower Fold. The two reverse results made up for losing 3-0 to Telford at the start of the season. The last result between the two games saw a stupendous goalkeeping performance from Matty Urwin to keep the score down to 3-1.

Telford's current top scorer is Sean Clancy, with nine goals, although Mike Grogan is close behind on seven. They've scored sixty-two times this season, with an average of nearly two a game, giving them the fourth best attack in the league. Only Brackley Town have conceded fewer goals, and Telford have the second best defence in the league. Telford have scored in every away game this season, and kept four clean sheets on the road.

Telford have a fully fit squad with no suspensions, and in their last game, the 2-1 home win over Bradford Park Avenue, Telford lined up as:
1. Ryan Young
2. Wes Baynes
3. Chris Lever
4. Dan Preston
5. Simon Grand
6. Mike Grogan
7. Mike Phenix
8. Charlie Barnett
9. Andy Owens
10. Adam Farrell
11. Shaun Whalley

Celtic have no suspensions, but injuries remain with Conal Platt, Callum Warburton and Lewis Hatch. Obi Anorou limped off in the Cheshire Senior Cup match with Altrincham, and will have to be assessed, but Kristian Platt came through without issue. Celtic also welcome back Sean McConville from suspension, and new striker Liam Dickinson is available for selection. In Celtic's last league match, the 2-1 away defeat at Worcester City, Celtic lined up as:
1. Danny East
2. Kelvin Bleau
3. Jeremy Thierry
4. Joel Bembo-Leta
5. Matt Regan
6. Josh Green
7. Paul Ennis
8. Tom Buckley
9. Obi Anorou
10. Jack Ryan
11. Ryan Crossdale

Getting anything from this game would be a major achievement, but this is a completely different team to the one that comprehensively destroyed at the New Bucks Head on the ninth of November. And Celtic do need something from the game, with Gloucester City only three points behind and with a superior goal difference, if they beat Stockport County, Celtic will drop into the bottom three. Although Vauxhall have resigned from the league, effective from the end of the season, meaning only two go down this year (and with problems at Histon), psychologically, we need to stay out of the bottom three.

There is a full schedule this weekend (assuming Oxford's pitch has dried out), and other games this Saturday are:
Barrow (46pts 9th) v Worcester City (35pts 16th)
Brackley Town (53pts 6th) v Altrincham (51pts 7th)
Bradford Park Avenue (36pts 14th) v Colwyn Bay (45pts 10th)
Gloucester City (25pts 20th) v Stockport County (41pts 12th)
Guiseley (42pts 11th) v Vauxhall Motors (36pts 15th)
Harrogate Town (50pts 8th) v Solihull Moors (54pts 4th)
Hednesford Town (56pts 3rd) v Gainsborough Trinity (34pts 17th)
Histon (29pts 18th) v North Ferriby United (60pts 2nd)
Oxford City (21pts 21st) v Leamington FC (36pts 13th)
Workington (18pts 22nd) v Boston United (53pts 5th)

Match Sponsor
GRM Insulation Solutions
Ball Sponsor
Oakwood Technical Services
Man of the Match Sponsor
Shaun Goater
Programme Sponsor
Moss & Williamson