Match Preview :- Matlock Town - Saturday November 17th, 2018 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic travel back to Derbyshire to face Matlock this time (kick off 3pm). Matlock are currently tenth on twenty-five points, three places and one point below Celtic. Matlock have only lost two home match this season, beaten by South Shields and Whitby Town 3-0 in each game, otherwise having three home wins and two draws. There will be a match centre and Twitter feed for this game.

Matlock had a torrid start to the season, losing seven consecutive games between the end of August and the end of September, taking in a 6-0 defeat away at Baseford, and a 3-1 defeat away at Celtic, leaving them in the bottom three. Since the start of October, their results have improved, along with their league position, with nine games without a loss, including the league record home win of 7-0 over Grantham. In their last three matches, they have scored thirteen and conceded two, with their last game a 2-1 win over Bamber Bridge. They are currently a top three form team, behind Nantwich and Farsley (Celtic are ninth).

Matlock have the fourth best attack in the league, scoring over two goals a game, with a home tally of 2.4 goals per game, scoring nineteen of their thirty-eight goals there. With some big defeats in their losing period, they have conceded thirty-five, only eleven of which were at home, at rate of 1.9 goals per game, 1.4 at home. Craig Westcarr is their danger man, scoring ten, twice his nearest rival, Marcus Marshall, who's on five. Whilst they score fairly consistently throughout the match, their vulnerable periods are just before the half time and full time whistles.

Celtic's last meeting with Matlock was earlier this season, when we won 3-1. Last season, it was the home teams that won both games, Celtic winning 4-1 at home, and Matlock winning 2-0 in the reverse fixture. Celtic's last win in Matlock was in 1991, when we won 3-0, although there was a twenty year period when the two teams never met, and would have been a twenty-six year period, if not for a 2-1 Matlock win in the FA Trophy in 2012. In the last thirty years, we've been to Matlock six times, winning two and losing four.

In their last match, the 2-1 home win over Bamber Bridge, Matlock lined up as:
1. Ross Durrant
2. Taron Hare
3. Cleveland Taylor
4. Nathan Whitehead
5. Dwayne Wiley
6. Adam Yates
7. Jordan Chapell
8. Michael Hollingsworth
9. Luke Hinsley
10. Craig Westcarr
11. Craig King

In the Celtic's last match, the 2-1 away win at Buxton in the FA Trophy, Celtic lined up as:
1. Paddy Wharton
2. Liam Tongue
3. Scott Wilson
4. Olly Marx
5. Danny Brady
6. Chris Smalley
7. James Caton
8. Glenn Rule
9. Chris Sharp
10. Greg Wilkinson
11. Neil Kengni

Celtic are just about injury free ahead of the match, including the possible return of Jake Turner. For those that keep an eye on former Celts in the opposition line-up, Matlock's former Celt is Jordan Chapell from last season.

Matlock are currently flying, being one of the in-form teams, but Celtic have won their last two away matches, also against tough opposition. Although our away record isn't amazing, in the last five, we have won three and lost two, which is a sign of improvement.

Directions
Distance: 39
Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Head towards Glossop, going down Woolly Lane.
Go to the centre of Glossop.
At the traffic lights near the station, turn right onto the A624 (Charlestown Road).
Stay on the A624 for eight miles to Chapel-en-le-frith and join the A6 by turning left on the roundabout, and then right on the immediate second roundabout.
Stay on the A6 for 6 miles to Buxton.
At the roundabout in Buxton, turn left to stay on the A6.
Stay on the A6 for 18 miles to a roundabout with the A615.
At the roundabout turn left onto the A615.
After half a mile, cross two roundabouts, and the ground is on the left.