Match Preview :- Nuneaton Town - Tuesday September 15th, 2015 (19:45:00)

On Tuesday Celtic travel down the M6 to Nuneaton to face Nuneaton Town (kick off 7:45pm). Nuneaton are currently fourth in the table after nine games, on seventeen points, nine places and six points above Celtic. There will be a match centre for this game.

Nuneaton had a cracking start to their Northern League campaign, winning their opening four games, and unbeaten in their opening six games. Losses at home to Gloucester and away at Curzon put a dent on their rampant run, but victory at home to Gainsborough have put them back on track. They have taken points in every game that they have scored in this season, failing to find the net only in their two defeats; the most recent being their 1-0 defeat at Curzon. Their most recent home defeat was also 1-0 with Gloucester the team that ended their unbeaten run.

They have conceded just six in the opening nine, and two of those came in the opening day 3-2 away win at Chorley, whilst they have scored in all but two, generally scoring one. Four of their goals have come from Aaron Williams, though he has only scored once at home, with Marlon Harewood behind him on two, both of which were scored at home. Celtic have won and drawn their last two away games, whilst Nuneaton have lost and won in theirs, so there is no reason why Celtic cannot extend their unbeaten away run to three games.

Our last visit to Nuneaton was indeed a win for Celtic, the August 2011 game finishing 2-1, with Phil Marsh scoring at the end of both halves, the winner being a last minute penalty after Connor Jennings had been brought down in the box by Neil Collett, the keeper, and that despite playing for eighty minutes with ten men due to Rhys Meynell's dismissal. Celtic also won the most recent encounter with Nuneaton, the reverse of the 2-1 win, when we beat them 4-1 at Bower Fold in March 2012. Craig Hobson, Rhys Meynell and Stephen Brogan running rampant in the second half, after Greg Wilkinson's striker in the first half was cancelled out.

Those wins ended a run of five Nuneaton wins between the two teams, and in seven league visits in the past twenty years, Celtic have won only the one, though there was also a 2-1 victory there in 2002 in the FA Trophy after Nuneaton had held Celtic to a 1-1 draw at Bower Fold. Over that same spell, Nuneaton have won five of the encounters, and there has only been one draw, a 0-0 affair in 2005.

Nuneaton's last match, the 2-0 home win over Gainsborough Trinity, saw big signing Marlon Harewood rested. In that match, they lined up as:
1. Jordan Smith
2. James Clifton
3. James Reid
4. Jordan Keane
5. Joe Maguire
6. Jack Lane
7. David Morgan
8. Elliot Whitehouse
9. Rob Duffy
10. Shane Byrne
11. Aaron Williams

Celtic's will be without the services of Chris Simm and Adam Farrell due to suspensions and Alex Mudimu and Danny Wisdom through injury. In our last match, the 3-1 home win over Lowestoft Town, Celtic lined up as:
1. Tony McMillan
2. Oliver Crowley
3. John Shaw
4. Matty Hughes
5. Jack Higgins
6. Dale Wright
7. Ben McKenna
8. Bohan Dixon
9. Adam Farrell
10. Steve Tames
11. Aidan Chippendale

Most teams are in action midweek, with Corby hosting Boston United on Wednesday, and the rest playing on Tuesday. A win for Celtic could propel us into the top ten at the point where the league is starting to take shape, or a loss could leave us down in the bottom third. Other midweek games:
AFC Fylde (17pts 3rd) v FC United of Manchester (14pts 8th)
Alfreton Town (13pts 9th) v Worcester City (6pts 21st)
Brackley Town (8pts 19th) v Lowestoft Town (8pts 18th)
Chorley (13pts 10th) v Stockport County (16pts 5th)
Corby Town (11pts 12th) v Boston United (10pts 15th)
Gainsborough Trinity (12pts 11th) v Tamworth (15pts 6th)
Harrogate Town (19pts 2nd) v North Ferriby United (14pts 7th)
Hednesford Town (11pts 14th) v Gloucester City (10pts 16th)

Directions
Distance: 116
Time: 2 hours and 15 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 84 miles to junction 3 (Bedworth).
The M6 Toll can be used to cut out Birmingham if desired.
At the roundabout at he end of the slip road turn left (exit 2 of 5) onto the A444.
Stay on the A444 for 5 miles to a roundabout with the A4254 (Avenue Road).
Stay on the A5254 for half a mile across a roundabout.
Turn left onto Townsend Drive.
After half a mile, turn right onto Liberty Way.