Match Preview :- Curzon Ashton - Saturday January 2nd, 2016 (15:00:00)

On Saturday, Celtic have their first game of 2016 when Curzon Ashton arrive at the Fold. Kick off 3pm. Curzon are two points and three places above Celtic in ninth on thirty points, with both teams having played the same number of games. There will be a match centre for this game.

Curzon have a decent season since promotion, but are rather top heavy in home games, however they are coming into the game on the back of a very good away win at Fylde. They had a poor start to the season, but have been finding their feet very well. With one win and four losses in their opening ten games, they briefly touched the bottom three, but since then have lost only twice in their last ten matches, with seven wins. Their losses were away at Brackley, where they lost 2-0 and at home to North Ferriby, where they lost 3-0. Most of their last ten games have been at home, and the Fylde result, as good as it was, was one of only two away wins all season, the other being a 4-0 thrashing of Corby. Conversely, they have only lost three games on their travels, Boston, Brackley and Solihull being the games.

With eight goals, their danger-man is Matt Warburton, though his strike partner, Niall Cummins, is not far behind on six. They score on average 1.6 goals and concede 1.3 (1.6 away). They have failed to score in just three away matches, and kept just two clean sheets on the road. Fourteen of their thirty-two goals have come away from home, and they have conceded fourteen of their twenty-six goals away.

Curzon don't have anybody on suspension currently, and will have a full squad to choose from. In their last match, the 2-1 away win over Fylde, they lined up as:
1. Hakan Burton
2. Christopher Rowney
3. Jack Truelove
4. Jonathan Hunt
5. Daniel Shaw
6. Liam Tomsett
7. Jordan Wright
8. Alex Brown
9. Ryan Brooke
10. Matthew Warburton
11. Joseph Guest

Celtic also have a nearly fully fit squad, with Jack Higgins and Ben McKenna the only doubts. In our last match, the 1-1 draw with Stockport County, Celtic lined up as:
1. Tony McMillan
2. Peter Wylie
3. Oliver Crowley
4. Matty Hughes
5. John Shaw
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Bohan Dixon
8. Peter Wright
9. Adam Farrell
10. Steve Tames
11. Alex Mudimu

Celtic would leap frog Curzon, should we win, and probably get into the top ten, depending on the results of the Chorley and Gainsborough games. With Worcester, Bradford and Lowestoft all within striking distance of us, we could also drop three places should we lose.

Other games on Saturday:
AFC Fylde (40pts 5th) v Chorley (29pts 11th)
AFC Telford (16pts 22nd) v Hednesford Town (23pts 17th)
Alfreton Town (24pts 16th) v Tamworth (34pts 7th)
Boston United (42pts 4th) v Lowestoft Town (26pts 14th)
Corby Town (21pts 21st) v Brackley Town (21pts 20th)
FC United of Manchester (22pts 19th) v Bradford Park Avenue (26pts 13th)
Harrogate Town (40pts 6th) v Stockport County (32pts 8th)
North Ferriby United (43pts 3rd) v Gainsborough Trinity (30pts 10th)
Nuneaton Town (45pts 1st) v Solihull Moors (44pts 2nd)
Worcester City (25pts 15th) v Gloucester City (23pts 18th)

Match Sponsor
O Brien Construction/Howarth Timber
Ball Sponsor
Sterling Racing
Man of the Match Sponsor
GJS Wealth Management
Programme Sponsor
Programme sponsor
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