Stalybridge Celtic are in FA Trophy action On Tuesday when we visit Dudley based side Stourbridge (kick off 7:45pm – there will
not be a live match centre for this game). Stourbridge are currently fifteenth in the British Gas Business league (Southern Premier), having won five and drawn three giving them eighteen points.
Stourbridge beat Hucknall Town 3-2 to get to the first round proper, but have had a mixed season overall, crashing out of the FA Cup in a replay at Brackley Town, whilst progressing in the Birmingham and Worcestershire Senior cups. In the league they won four at home, and lost four. Their opening fixture against Banbury was their only draw at home this season, finishing 1-1. Their last home match saw Stourbridge beat Oxford City 2-0, one of only two league clean sheets this season. Three wins on the trot have lifted Stourbridge off the bottom of the table, dropping to fifteenth after their recent 1-1 draw away at Tiverton.
Stourbridge's top scorer this campaign is Leon Broadhurst who has twelve goals, with his closest rival Nathan Bennett on eight goals. Stourbridge's biggest win this season was a 6-0 win over Salford City in the FA Trophy, whilst their biggest defeat was a 6-1 league mauling by Hemel Hempstead. Their most dangerous period is the opening fifteen minutes when they have scored seven of their forty-three goals this season, whilst they are vulnerable just before half time; conceding eight of their forty-seven goals.
Stourbridge do not have any suspension worries ahead of the game, and will have been glad of the extra few days to get Gain Winsper and Sam Rock back up to full fitness. In their last match, the 1-1 away draw at Tiverton, Stourbridge lined up as:
1. Lewis Solly
2. Sam Rock
3. Les Hines
4. Ross Collins
5. Ashley Langford
6. Nathan Bennett
7. Gavin Winsper
8. Leon Broadhurst
9. Linden Dovey
10. James Dyson
11. Drew Canavan
Keith Briggs was still out for Celtic's last match against Gainsborough, with Steve Torpey coming off the bench to get some minutes. Richard Battersby's red card against Gainsborough does not kick in until the 20th December, meaning he will miss the away trip at Telford. In the 3-3 draw away at Gainsborough, Celtic lined up as:
1. Paul Phillips
2. Ashley Woolliscroft
3. Rhys Meynell
4. Tom Sharpe
5. Barrie Keeling
6. Terry Barwick
7. Richard Battersby
8. Andy Smart
9. Nathan Joynes
10. Michael Byrne
11. Chris Williams
The automated prediction algorithm really has nothing to go on for this match, with the two teams not having met before, and has decided that Celtic's away form is sufficient for a 2-0 win, though Stourbridge will be putting up a fair fight to change that.
