Match Preview :- Colwyn Bay - Monday August 27th, 2012 (15:00:00)

Celtic are still looking for a win in the 2012/13 campaign, with opening day defeat at Workington, followed by two draws at home to Gainsborough and Droylsden. Colwyn Bay have started with two wins and a loss, putting them seventh in the table after the first week of fixtures, eleven places and four points ahead of Celtic.

The last meeting at Colwyn Bay between the two clubs saw Celtic on a winning run that had them breathing down the necks of league leaders Hyde, making Celtic massive favourites going into the game that Colwyn Bay won 2-0, with goals at either end of the match. The reverse is true this time around, with the home side being the favourites. The Seagulls then went onto hammer Celtic at home 4-0, although they found wins hard to come by after this, with only two more wins to the end of the season as they coasted into a final finishing position of twelfth, six places and nineteen points behind Celtic. In the form table for the last ten games of 2011/12, Celtic were sixth, losing just twice, whilst Colwyn Bay were just one place above Eastwood, in bottom, with just two wins.

Colwyn Bay's top scorer was Rob Hopley, who scored three at Bower Fold, and twelve in total. Overall, Colwyn Bay scored 60 goals (34 at home) last season at a rate of 1.3 a game (1.5 at home). They conceded 73 goals (40 at home) at a rate of 1.6 per game (1.8 at home). This season, their main goal threat has been Kevin Holsgrove, who has scored in all three of Bay's opening matches.

Like Celtic's opening match, Colwyn Bay lost their goalkeeper in their last match away at Chester when an offside decision was too slow in coming, forcing Chris Sanna to come and try and rescue the ball. Although Andy Ralph had his leg broken during a similar situation three minutes into the season, Bay's keeper will only be missing for a few games at most with concussion. In that match, that finished 2-1 for Chester, Colwyn Bay lined up as:
1. Chris Sanna
2. Tom Smyth
3. Luke Dennon
4. Danny Meadowcroft
5. Frank Sinclair
6. John McKenna
7. Gareth Evans
8. Sean Williams
9. Allan Collins
10. Kevin Holsgrove
11. Danny Lloyd

Celtic will be without goalkeeper Andy Ralph through injury and Callum Warburton who is serving the last game of his four match ban from the end of last season. In Celtic's last match, the goalless draw at home to Droylsden, Celtic lined up as:
1. Alex Cairns
2. Kelvin Bleau
3. Mark Lees
4. Tim Ryan
5. Joel Bembo-Leta
6. Jordan Barrow
7. Adam Pepper
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Jack Laird
10. Jamie Mullan
11. Mitchell Austin

Match sponsors Warburton are giving away to all spectators a packet of Pitta Chips. Which is nice.

There is an Amber Warning in place for Colwyn Bay tomorrow, so spectators should check the website tomorrow to ensure that the game is going ahead. Journey time by car is about two hours, but this will be affected by rain.

Directions
Distance: 85
Time: 2 hours

From the M60, take Junction 4 onto the M56.
Follow the M56 to its conclusion at a roundabout.
At the roundabout, turn left (exit 1 of 3) onto the A5117.
Less than a mile down the road, there is a second roundabout.
Go straight across (exit 2 of 4) to stay on the A5117.
After about 3 miles, you will reach a t-junction with the A550.
Turn left onto the A550.
The A550 turns into the A494 just after the slip-road for Sealand.
Stay on this road, until the junction for the A55 (signposted Colwyn Bay).
Leave here.
Stay on the A55 for about 26 miles, coming off at the junction for Old Colwyn.
At the the end of the slip-road, turn left onto the B5383 (Llanelian Road).
After a 100 yards there is a crossroads, with the Marine Hotel on the left.
Go straight across to stay on Llanelian Road, after about 1/2 mile the ground is on the right just past a grassy bank, opposite some houses.