Match Preview :- Hednesford Town - Saturday April 18th, 2015 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic travel to Staffordshire to face Hednesford Town (Kick off 3pm). Hednesford are currently eighth in the league on sixty-one points, twenty points and eleven places above Celtic having played a game more. There will be a match centre for this game.

Hednesford have two games left and are six points away from the final play-off spot, so while mathematically capable of getting into the play-offs, it's unlikely. After an inconsistent start to the season, a run of ten wins in fifteen matches with only two losses during December to February propelled them into the top three, however, they were unable to maintain it, and have not won since the start of March, seeing them drop out of the play-off spots. They have lost their last three home games, but have managed two draws away to Lowestoft and Solihull.

Their top scorer this season is Danny Glover, who has nine goals, with Marvin Robinson his closest rival for the Golden Boot on seven. Hednesford have had twenty different scorers this season, giving them a total of sixty-two goals. Thirty-three of these were at home. Whilst they may not have the best strike force in the league, they do have the fourth best defence, with only Fylde, Barrow and Guiseley conceding less. In total they have conceded forty-seven goals this season, twenty-six of which were at home. They have kept twelve clean sheets, although only three of which were at home. On average, they score 1.6 goals per game at home, and concede 1.3.

The only teams that they have beaten home and away this season are Harrogate and Hyde, though they did beat us at Bower Fold 5-0. Last season, Hednesford did beat us home and away, with a 4-1 in Hednesford, and a 4-0 at Bower Fold. Our last win over them was in April 2006 when we won 3-0, whilst our last win at Hednesford was even further back when both teams were in the Conference Premier, in 1995 when we won 1-0.

Hednesford will be without Darren Campion, who will be completing his four match ban after being sent off in their 3-1 home defeat to North Ferriby. Adam Thomas will have a fitness test ahead of the match after a clash of heads in their match against Lowestoft, other than that, Ben Bailey should be back after missing the last match, whilst Tom Thorley, Paul Sullivan and Marvin Robinson are all injured. In their last match, the 2-2 away draw at Lowestoft, Hednesford lined up as:
1. Dan Crane
2. James Hurst
3. Glenn Walker
4. Chris Westwood
5. Jordan Tunnicliffe
6. Lloyd Kerry
7. Jamey Osborne
8. Andy Todd
9. Nick Rushton
10. Adam Thomas
11. Richard Batchelor

Celtic should be able to welcome back Chris Simm after he missed the last match because he was best man at his brother's wedding. Matt Regan sat out the last match as a precaution, and could be back in contention on Saturday. Also back into the line-up will be Stefan Galinski, who was contract-tied in Celtic's last match, the 1-1 home draw to Boston. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Ross Etheridge
2. Oliver Crowley
3. Paul Wylie
4. Harley Wigley
5. Matty Hughes
6. Michael Potts
7. Aidan Chippendale
8. Scott Kerr
9. Tom Bentham
10. Michael Powell
11. Alex Mudimu

Celtic are level on points with Brackley, ahead on goal-difference only, we are three points clear of Leamington, who could be relegated on Saturday by North Ferriby. We are one point behind Colwyn Bay, who are at home to Lowestoft. Lowestoft are now safe, so it would be expected that Colwyn Bay will win that one, as they need it more. Hyde could do Celtic a favour by beating Brackley, but again, we have to expect Brackley will win that one, meaning a loss for Celtic could put us back into the relegation spots, and needing to win our last two matches, whilst a win for us, and a loss for two of Colwyn, Leamington and Brackley would leave us needing just a point from our last two games. It's that tight. At the other end, Barrow could be crowned champions, if they beat Tamworth…

Other matches on Saturday:
Barrow (81pts 1st) v Tamworth (66pts 6th)
Bradford Park Avenue (49pts 16th) v Worcester City (57pts 9th)
Colwyn Bay (42pts 18th) v Lowestoft Town (48pts 17th)
Gainsborough Trinity (49pts 14th) v Oxford City (63pts 7th)
Gloucester City (49pts 14th) v Stockport County (54pts 11th)
Guiseley (67pts 5th) v Chorley (70pts 3rd)
Harrogate Town (52pts 13th) v AFC Fylde (79pts 2nd)
Hyde (21pts 22nd) v Brackley Town (41pts 20th)
Leamington FC (38pts 21st) v North Ferriby United (53pts 12th)
Solihull Moors (54pts 10th) v Boston United (68pts 4th)

Table
P Pts
6 Oxford City 40 65
7 Tamworth 40 65
8 Hednesford Town 40 61
9 Worcester City 40 57
10 Solihull Moors 40 54
Results
Sat 18 Apr 2015Stalybridge Celtic1-2
Sat 11 Apr 2015Lowestoft Town2-2
Mon 06 Apr 2015Solihull Moors1-1
Sat 28 Mar 2015Oxford City0-2
Sat 21 Mar 2015Tamworth1-3
Goal Scorers
Glover, Danny9
Robinson, Marvin7
Batchelor, Richard6
Diggin, Steve5
McCone, Paul4
Previous Meetings
Saturday October 28, 2023
1
1
Saturday September 02, 2023
3
2
Saturday April 13, 2019
1
0
Saturday January 12, 2019
1
0
Saturday February 17, 2018
2
2
Records
Home win Brackley Town4-1Sat 21st Feb
Away win Stalybridge Celtic0-5Sat 1st Nov
Home defeat Oxford City0-2Sat 28th Mar
Away defeat Stockport County3-0Sat 15th Nov
Home score Brackley Town4-1Sat 21st Feb
Away score Stalybridge Celtic0-5Sat 1st Nov
Games Since... Overall Home Away
Last Scored 121
Last Conceded 111
Last Won 635
Last Drew 111
Directions
Distance: 82
Time: 1 hour and 40 minutes

From the M67 join the M60 towards Stockport.
After 7 miles, leave the M60 at Junction 4 (Chester, M6) to join the M56 Stay on the M56 for 7 miles, coming off at junction 7 (Northwich, M6) to join the A556.
The roundabout can be avoided by using the slip road.
Stay on the A556 for 5 miles to the roundabout with the M6.
Join the M6 southbound (Birmingham) avoiding the roundabout by using the slip road.
Stay on the M6 for 48 miles to junction 12 (Telford, A5).
At the roundabout at the end of the slip road, turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A5.
After 2.
5 miles there is a roundabout (Longford Island) with the A4601 - go straight across (exit 2 of 5) to stay on the A5.
After 1 mile there is a roundabout (Churchbridge Island) just after going under a railway bridge.
Turn left (exit 1 of 5) onto the A34/A460 (Walsall Road) towards Rugeley.
Immediately, there is a second roundabout.
Go straight across (exit 2 of 3) onto the A460 (Eastern Way).
Stay on the A460 for 1.
5 miles across 4 more roundabouts.
At the fifth roundabout (with a McDonald's beside it), turn right (exit 3 of 5) onto Hemlock Way.
Go to the end of Hemlock Way (about three quarters of a mile) to a roundabout (Cross Keys Island) - go straight across (exit 2 of 4) onto Keys Park Road.
After 250 yards there is another roundabout - turn right (exit 3 of 4).
The ground is on the left.