Celtic travel to the east coast on Wednesday for the rearranged FA Trophy clash with Whitby Town (kick off 7:45pm – there will
not be a live match centre) weather permitting. Whitby Town are currently thirteenth in the Unibond Premier on twenty-one points, having won five, drawn six and lost six.
Whitby lost their most recent game 6-2 away at Ossett Town, with their last home match a 2-2 draw with Leigh Genesis. Whitby started the season quite poorly, losing their opening five league games, starting with a 2-0 home defeat to John Reed's Buxton. Since losing 3-1 away at FC United at the end of August, Whitby went on a league run of eleven games without defeat, with five wins and six draws coming since the start of September. In other competitions, they won their opening FA Cup game 3-2 at home to Dunston Federation, and drew 2-2 at home to Blyth Spartans in the next round, only to lose the replay 5-2. In the FA trophy they have already played two games, beating Trafford 3-2 at home and Stocksbridge Park Steels away 2-0.
Whitby's top scorer this season so far is Karl Charlton with five league goals and seven in all competitions. Tony Hackworth is just behind him on four league goals, and five in all competitions. They have scored twenty-nine league goals, and forty-two in all competitions. Their biggest win was a 5-2 win over Ossett Town, who gained revenge by inflicting their heaviest defeat, the last game 6-2 at Ossett. Their heaviest home defeat this season was the opening game where they lost 2-0. The only other game they lost at home this season was to Kendal Town, who beat Whitby 3-2. They have kept five clean sheets this season, with only one clean sheet in a cup competition, the 2-0 win over Stocksbridge. They have scored in every cup competition, and failed to score in five league games, most recently a 0-0 draw with FC United.
The last time we met Whitby Town was in the FA Trophy in November 2004, when we lost 1-0 at home to the East Coast side. Earlier that year, we lost in the Unibond to them at Bower Fold, 3-1, with Whitby gaining revenge for the 2-0 win earlier in the season in October 2003, which was our last win at the Turnbull Stadium. We have beaten them three times since 1999 at the Turnbull and beaten them twice at home; the last time Whitby beat us at their place was back in October 1999, when they beat us 1-0.
Whitby do not have any suspension worries ahead of the game, but appear to be missing a few players through injury. In their last game, the 6-2 defeat away at Ossett Town, Whitby lined up as:
1. Nick Liversedge
2. Phil Brumwell
3. Leon Scott
4. Ashley Lyth
5. Richard Forster
6. Jimmy Beadle
7. Stephen Huggins
8. Tony Hackworth
9. Tom Raw
10. Michael Rae
11. Karl Charlton
Celtic are also suspension free. Keith Briggs and Steve Torpey were left out of the side that beat Burscough 2-0 away last Saturday in order to recuperate somewhat after their rough game against Altrincham, though Danny Wood returned as a substitute. In that match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Paul Phillips
2. Ashley Woolliscroft
3. Rhys Meynell
4. Tom Sharpe
5. Terry Barwick
6. Andy Smart
7. Richard Battersby
8. Nicky Platt
9. Lee Ellington
10. Nathan Joynes
11. Chris Williams
The automated prediction algorithm is suggesting a 2-0 win for Celtic, given the difference in leagues and Celtic's away record. The Durham game showed that the team cannot give quarter to any side, and Celtic must play well to take a result from the Turnbull.