Match Preview :- AFC Telford - Tuesday August 11th, 2009 (19:45:00)
Stalybridge kick off their Centenary season?s home campaign with AFC Telford United as the visitors. Telford are tipped to be in the mix come the end of the season and have brought in a few new faces for the 09/10 season including former fans favourite Steve Torpey. Telford are eleventh after the first day, having 1-1 drawn at home with Blyth Spartans. There will be a live match centre for this game. This game will be segregated. Away fans should use the far turnstile.

Torpey was the scorer in the game against Blyth after Blyth had taken an early lead through Robbie Dale?s 3rd minute goal, the first scored in this campaign. His thirty-ninth minute equaliser and performance won him the man of the match. Other ex-Celtic players now with Telford are Tom Field and Phil Trainer.

Telford have not lost at Bower Fold in their last six visits, winning three and drawing three. Celtic?s last win over Telford was in 1994, as we?ve been unable to beat them at the Bucks Head either. Their last visit to the Fold was at the start of the 08/09 season when the points were shared with a 2-2 final score. Both our wins in the last nine visits to the Fold, were 1-0 wins, whilst our last win at the Bucks head was back in 1994, when we won 2-0.

Telford finished last season in fourth place, but lost out to Gateshead in the play off final. They finished on seventy-six points, six ahead of Celtic in sixth place, having scored sixty-five to Celtic?s seventy-one, and conceded thirty-four to Celtic?s fifty. Telford had the best defence in the league last season. Andy Brown was their top scorer with fifteen goals, and he is still at the club, as is eleven goal second placed striker, Danny Carey-Bertram.

Telford appear to be injury free ahead of the match, and against Blyth on the opening day lined up as:
1. Ryan Young
2. Lee Vaughan
3. Gareth Jelleyman
4. Gavin Cowan
5. Jimmy Turner
6. Liam Blakeman
7. Jon Adams
8. Carl Rodgers
9. Phil Trainer
10. Andy Brown
11. Steve Torpey

Celtic had to substitute John Hardiker against Redditch on the opening day when he received a knock, and he will have to be assessed ahead of Telford?s visit. In our opening day match, the 4-1 win over Redditch United, Celtic lined up as:
1. Paul Phillips
2. Richard Battersby
3. Andy Smart
4. Steve Woods
5. Michael Carr
6. John Hardiker
7. Dave Hankin
8. Keith Briggs
9. Joe O?Neill
10. Matty Barlow
11. Warren Peyton

Matty Barlow?s two goals against Redditch have given him an early League Goal Scorer?s table topping position, but with not enough results to given an accurate prediction, the prediction algorithm is playing safe with a 0-0 draw.
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