Match Preview :- Worcester City - Saturday November 23rd, 2013 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic face bottom of the table Worcester City (kick off 3pm). Worcester are currently on nine points, three from safety, and twelve places and twelve points behind tenth placed Celtic. There will be a live match centre for this game.

Worcester have won once this season, and their last away win was last season when they beat Bishop Stortford in April, 8 months ago. Additionally, they have been unable to buy a goal for the past five away games, and have only scored twice on the road this season. This is not to say that they have not had some good results on the road, as they have held Telford and Brackley to goalless draws. They have held Hednesford at home to a 2-2 draw. Their last win was at home, when they beat Workington 4-0 back in September. That was also the last time that they scored, and is one third of all the goals they've scored this season. Away from the league, they have had more success, with a 3-0 win at home to Ramsbottom Town in the Trophy last weekend.

We last met Worcester in February last season, when they came to Bower Fold and beat us 2-0. The last time we beat them was at their place in the same season when we beat them 2-1 when Adam Pepper and Kristian Platt both netted, and the last time we beat Worcester at Bower Fold was in October 2011, when we won 2-0. In their last eight visits, it's honours even with three wins apiece and two draws.

Worcester's top scorer is Ethan Moore, who scored three times in the FA Trophy at the weekend, with Daniel Nti hot on his heels with two, and could be back in contention for Saturday's game.

Worcester have had a litany of injuries this season, but slowly their playing staff are returning. Loanee Matt Regan should be back to fitness after a fortnight layoff, whilst fitness tests will be given to goalkeeper Shabir Khan and defender Richard Munday. Fortunately, Worcester have no suspension worries. In their last league match, the 3-0 defeat at home to Leamington, Worcester lined up as:
1. Lewis Solly
2. George Williams
3. Tyler Weir
4. Sam Smith
5. Graham Hutchison
6. Ellis Deeney
7. Dior Angus
8. Richard Taundry
9. Danny Glover
10. Aaron Williams
11. Niall Thompson.

Sean McConville will be unavailable due to a one match suspension for two yellow cards against Telford, whilst Callum Warburton, Lewis Hatch, Joel Bembo-Leta and Obi Anorou will all be assessed ahead of the game after missing the 3-0 win over Vauxhall Motors in the FA Trophy through illness. In Celtic's last league game, the 1-1 away draw with Barrow, Celtic lined up as:
1. Matty Urwin
2. Kelvin Bleau
3. Andy McWilliams
4. Callum Warburton
5. Mark Lees
6. Kristian Platt
7. Paul Ennis
8. Keith Briggs
9. Phil Marsh
10. Sean McConville
11. Conal Platt

Celtic can rise as high as eighth, if results go our way on Saturday but could equally well drop to thirteenth should results go against us. Other games on Saturday:
Altrincham (29pts 3rd) v Solihull Moors (27pts 7th)
Barrow (12pts 19th) v AFC Telford (28pts 6th)
Brackley Town (28pts 5th) v Hednesford Town (32pts 1st)
Bradford Park Avenue (21pts 8th) v Boston United (31pts 2nd)
Colwyn Bay (17pts 14th) v Gainsborough Trinity (13pts 17th)
Guiseley (18pts 13th) v Oxford City (12pts 18th)
Leamington FC (14pts 16th) v Histon (19pts 12th)
Stockport County (16pts 15th) v North Ferriby United (29pts 28th)
Vauxhall Motors (21pts 9th) v Gloucester City (10pts 21st)
Workington (12pts 20th) v Harrogate Town (20pts 11th)

Match Sponsor
Berendsen UK
Ball Sponsor
Vincent O`Brien Construction
Man of the Match Sponsor
ABCA Systems
Programme Sponsor
Programme sponsor
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0161 338 2828