Match Preview :- Workington - Saturday March 10th, 2018 (15:00:00)

On Saturday (weather permitting!), Celtic make the trip north to face Workington (kick off 3pm). Workington are currently tenth in the league on forty-six points, fourteen points and eleven places higher than Celtic though they have played a game more. There will be a Twitter feed for this game. Please note, there will be no Match Centre.

Workington had a slow start to the season, winning their opening game, but then failing to win in the next seven. However, three losses in their next eighteen games lifted them to second in the table, challenging Altrincham for top spot. However, a 3-1 loss at home to Whitby at the start of the year saw them go on a run of five consecutive losses, dropping them back to mid-table. Workington's last home win was just before Christmas when they beat Nantwich Town 2-1, whilst their last home game was a 2-0 defeat to Barwell at the end of January.

Scott Allison is their top scorer with eleven goals, being pushed for the Golden Boot by Connor Tinnion who currently has eight. They have had fourteen different scorers this season netting fifty goals (thirty at home) at a rate of 1.6 goals per game (1.9 at home). They have conceded forty-one goals (twenty-six at home) at a rate of 1.3 goals per game (one per game at home). Workington have kept six clean sheets with five at home, and failed to score eight times, three times at home.

We have not played Workington this season. The last match between the two was in April 2014, when Celtic won 2-0 at Bower Fold thanks to goals from Paul Ennis and Sean McConville. Our last visit was at the start of the 2013/14 season when Workington won 1-0. Our last win at Workington was in August 2011, when Celtic won 5-2, with a brace from Phil Marsh and Connor Jennings, plus another from Adam Kay. In our last ten visits, Workington have won six and Celtic have won four.

Workington's last match was the 1-0 away loss at Barwell. In that match, Mickleover lined up as:
1. Aaran Taylor
2. Dave Symington
3. Gari Rowntree
4. Matty Douglas
5. Sam Smith
6. Rob Wilson
7. Sam Joel
8. Phil McLuckie
9. Scott Allison
10. Nathan Waterston
11. Jamie Mellon

Celtic's last match was the 2-0 away loss at Stafford Rangers. In that match, we lined up as:
1. Jack Walton
2. Danny Morton
3. Alex Honeyball
4. Tom Brown
5. Luke Ashworth
6. Ross Killock
7. Jake Charles
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Liam Dickinson
10. Matty Wolfenden
11. Connor Hughes

Celtic will be without Theo Bailey-Jones who strained ligaments against Warrington and will probably be missing until the end of March. Hopefully, the enforced lay-off as allowed Ross Killock to recover from his knock at Stafford.

Celtic have managed one away win this season against Warrington, and will be looking to continue Workington's poor run of form by adding to our away win column. A win would narrow the gap on Whitby, but a loss could see us drop a place if Marine beat Hednesford.

Other games this weekend:
Altrincham (70pts 1st) v Mickleover Sports (44pts 11th)
Ashton United (55pts 5th) v Halesowen Town (29pts 23rd)
Buxton (40pts 18th) v Nantwich Town (44pts 13th)
Marine (32pts 22nd) v Hednesford Town (50pts 9th)
Matlock Town (41pts 17th) v Stourbridge (43pts 15th)
Shaw Lane (57pts 3rd) v Sutton Coldfield Town (26pts 24th)
Stafford Rangers (44pts 14th) v Lancaster City (44pts 12th)
Warrington Town (60pts 2nd) v Barwell (53pts 7th)
Whitby Town (39pts 20th) v Grantham Town (54pts 6th)
Witton Albion (51pts 8th) v Farsley Celtic (57pts 4th)

Directions
Distance: 157
Time: 3 hours and 15 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 65 miles on the M6 take Junction 40 onto the A66 (Penrith, North Lakes).
On the roundabout at the end of the slip-road, turn left (exit 1 of 4) onto the A66.
Stay on the A66 for 37 miles (going straight across 4 roundabouts) to a t-junction with the A596 (Bridge Street).
At the roundabout, turn right (exit 3 of 4) onto the A596 (Bridge Street).
After a mile, at the roundabout, turn right (exit 3 of 4) onto A597 (Hill Crest), cross the bridge and the ground is on the left.