Match Preview :- Barrow - Saturday November 15th, 2014 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic travel to Cumbria to face Barrow. Barrow are currently top and the bookies favourites for automatic promotion. They have thirty-three points, and are twenty points and twenty places ahead of twenty-first placed Celtic, having played a game less. There will be a match centre for this game.

To say this will be a tough one is an understatement, Barrow have dropped eleven points all season, lost only twice, on the opening day away at Boston and, most recently, at the start of October away at Bradford. They have yet to drop any points at home, having won all eight games. Barrow have scored in every match, and kept six clean sheets, the last three home games all being clean sheets.

Last season, they finished mid-table, in eleventh on fifty-six points, eight places and sixteen points ahead of Celtic. It had been a pretty stable season, after relegation the season before, finishing with fourteen wins, fourteen draws and fourteen losses. They conceded fifty-six and scored fifty: about as even as even can be.

Our last meeting with Barrow at Bower Fold finished 3-1 to Barrow, Charlie Ennis grabbing Celtic's goal. Our last visit to Holker Street was in November last year, almost one year ago to this match, a game that finished 1-1, a Kristian Platt penalty repairing the damage of an early goal. Historically, Celtic's last win at Holker Street was a 3-1 win in January 2008, with goals from Alex Meechan, James Dean and Matty Barlow comprehensively seeing off the home side. Barrow's last victory over us at Holker Street was back in September 2006, when they won 2-1. In our last ten visits, Celtic have won two, lost four and drawn four. And of course, Barrow were our opposition for the play-off final in 2008, when dubious decisions put Barrow into the promised land.

Barrow have no suspensions, and a full squad to choose from. In their last match, they 1-1 draw away at Hednesford, Barrow lined up as:
1. Tony McMillan
2. Andy Burns
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Paddy Lacey
5. Danny Livesey
6. Simon Grand
7. Izak Reid
8. Alex-Ray Harvey
9. Jason Walker
10. Andy Cook
11. Johnny Gorman

Celtic will be without Nathan Heath for the match, after his sending off against Hednesford, the bookings picked up in Celtic's last match, the home game against Lowestoft don't kick in for another week. In the Lowestoft match, which finished 1-1, Celtic lined up as:
1. Lewis King
2. Kelvin Bleau
3. Matt Regan
4. Todd Jordan
5. Matty Hughes
6. Stefan Galinski
7. Alex Mudimu
8. Kevin Holsgrove
9. Ben McKenna
10. Paul Ennis
11. Liam Dickinson

Celtic's position is precarious, but it is still early days. Should the bookies have a massive upset, and Celtic win at Barrow, the Celtic would be lifted out of the bottom three and could reach the dizzying heights of seventeenth!

Other matches this weekend:
Boston United (27pts 6th) v Chorley (27pts 5th)
Bradford Park Avenue (16pts 18th) v Solihull Moors (27pts 4th)
Gainsborough Trinity (18pts 15th) v Colwyn Bay (21pts 11th)
Gloucester City (15pts 20th) v Guiseley (29pts 3th)
Harrogate Town (19pts 13th) v Hyde (7pts 22nd)
Lowestoft Town (17pts 16th) v Tamworth (15pts 19th)
North Ferriby United (23pts 10th) v AFC Fylde (31pts 2nd)
Oxford City (25pts 9th) v Brackley Town (16pts 17th)
Stockport County (26pts 8th) v Hednesford Town (26pts 7th)
Worcester City (21pts 12th) v Leamington FC (18pts 14th)

Directions
Distance: 118
Time: 1 hour and 45 minutes

From the M60, take M61 (junction 15) to Preston.
Follow the M61 right to the end and join the M6 towards South Lakes.
After about 40 miles on the M6 take Junction 36 onto the A590.
On the roundabout at the end of the slip-road, turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A590 proper.
Stay on the A590 following signs for Barrow in Furness.
You will pass through Ulverston.
You will be on the A590 for about 10 miles.
As you enter Barrow, you will pass some industrial units and Kimberley Clarks soft tissue factory.
The road will start to rise as you pass over the railway line.
This is near Bradys Road Haulage and warehousing on your left.
Opposite, on your right, is the Fire Station.
The football ground is now to your left.
ASDA, MFI and Stollers entrance is the next left (after approximately 100 metres).