On Tuesday night, weather permitting, Celtic host Stafford Rangers (kick off 7:45pm). Stafford are currently eighteenth in the league on thirty-seven points, twelve points and five places above Celtic, though they have played three games more. There will be a match centre and Twitter Feed for this match.
After a good start to the season saw Stafford lose just once in the opening five matches, they topped the table, sadly a disastrous run saw them go six games without a win, sending them to the other end of the table, where they have remained ever since. In their last ten matches, they have won just twice, both of these at home, whilst away from home you have to go back to the start of November to find the last of their four away wins when they beat Sutton Coldfield Town 3-2. They have only played four away games since that win, but have drawn three of them, their last away loss was at Hednesford Town when they lost 2-1, whilst their last two away games have both been draws, goalless at Coalville and 1-1 at Marine.
Stafford have scored thirty-two goals this season (sixteen away) at a rate of 1.1 goals per game. They have conceded forty-one goals in total, with sixteen away from home, at a rate of 1.4 goals per game (1.1 away). Stafford have kept five clean sheets on the road out of ten in total, and failed to score five times away from home out ten total. Their top scorer by some distance is Dan Westwood with eight goals, six of which came away from home. His closest rival, on three, is Richard Gregory.
Celtic and Rangers haven't met this season, in this division! The last time they visited, in April 2011, Celtic won 3-2 with goals from Connor Jennings, Arthur Gnahoua and Joel Bembo-Leta enough to weather the onslaught at the end of the match. In Stafford's previous visit, which ironically was also on the February 6th, the game finished 2-2 thanks to a ninetieth minute penalty save from Lee Evans the Stafford keeper. Celtic last lost to Stafford at Bower Fold in April 2005, when the game finished 2-3, Celtic twice taking the lead through Lee Ellington, only for Nathan Smith to pull Stafford Level and win it in the last half hour. In eight visits, Celtic have won four, lost three and drawn once.
Stafford's last match was the 1-1 away draw with Marine and saw them line up as:
1. Adam Whitehouse
2. Samuel Griffiths
3. Kieren Westwood
4. Kieran Morris
5. Jordan Brown
6. Josh Craddock
7. Osebi Abadaki
8. Jack Sherratt
9. Karl Mawley
10. Massiah McDonald
11. Robert Thompson-Brown
Celtic's last match was the 1-1 home draw with Sutton Coldfield Town. In that match, we lined up as:
1. Jack Walton
2. Oliver Crowley
3. Alex Honeyball
4. Tom Brown
5. Luke Ashworth
6. Danny Morton
7. Jordan Chapell
8. Oliver Roberts
9. Matty Wolfenden
10. Theo Bailey-Jones
11. Connor Hughes
Liam Dickinson missed the last match for personal reasons, whilst Ross Killock was also not quite fit. It was Jordan Chapell's final match for Celtic, and he has returned to Chester.
A loss for Celtic could see us go bottom, if Sutton Coldfield beat Marine at home, whilst a win would see us rise a space, as Halesowen are not playing. More importantly, a win would be a big boost for moral, and keep our good home record going.
Other matches on Tuesday:
Altrincham (60pts 1st) v Ashton United (50pts 4th)
Coalville Town (40pts 16th) v Shaw Lane (54pts 3rd)
Matlock Town (38pts 17th) v Warrington Town (48pts 6th)
Rushall Olympic (34pts 20th) v Lancaster City (41pts 11th)
Sutton Coldfield Town (24pts 24th) v Marine (29pts 21st)