Celtic will be once more making their way down to the Midlands on Saturday, this time to take on Redditch, with a three o?clock kick off. Redditch are only just outside the relegation zone, having taken eleven points from thirty-nine, and sit eight places and eight points below Celtic in eighteenth.

Redditch have had some success against our fellow Tameside teams, beating both Droylsden at home and Hyde away. Their other win was against Vauxhall Motors. The Droylsden win saw them notch their only home win of the season, and it was impressive, beating the Butchers Arms outfit 4-1. Their last game was their win over Hyde United, when again they hit a good run of form, sticking three past the Tigers with one in reply. They can find the goals and they have scored twelve in their last six matches, it is in defence where their current problems lie, conceding thirteen in the same period, including a nine goal thriller at home to Workington, which finished 6-3 to the Cumbrian team.

Stalybridge have a good history against Redditch, beating them home and away last season, with the away game a mirror of Celtic?s season. Prior to that, we beat them in the Trophy back in 2003, and thus far have scored seven with two in reply.

With six goals in two games, it might be reasonable to expect that they have a top scorer in their midst, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Twelve different players have scored for Redditch, and six of them are joint top scorers with two apiece. Craig Wilding and Sean Flynn have scored in their last two outings against Hyde and Workington, Simon Hollis in two of the last three. Half of their goals scored have come in the first half hour, with another three straight after the interval. Over half of their conceding is also done in the first half, with fifteen of their twenty-eight goals let in during this period. At home, they score an average of 1.7 goals per game, whilst conceding 2.2.

Their manager, Rod Brown, attempted to resign after the 6-3 defeat to Workington, but was persuaded to stay. He is currently in the process of rebuilding the side, and their recent win over Hyde shows that he is doing something right.

In their last game, the win over Hyde, they lined up as:
1. Lewis Solly
2. Dennis Pearce
3. Asa Charlton
4. Scott Dann
5. Dave Clarke
6. Mark Taylor
7. Simon Hollis
8. Ian King
9. Craig Wilding
10. Scott Rickards
11. Sean Flynn

In Celtic?s latest goalless draw away at Nuneaton, we lined up as:
1. Paul Pettinger
2. Grant Black
3. Mark Barnard
4. Barrie Keeling
5. Mark Haran
6. Chris Price
7. Nathan Wharton
8. Paul Sykes
9. Lee Ellington
10. Jody Banim
11. Neil Prince

Celtic?s poor away form has resulted in the automated prediction going for a 1-1, however, Celtic are capable of playing exceptional football, and a decent performance, similar to the Nuneaton one, will result in Celtic?s first away win. Redditch are beatable and Celtic need to beat them. Whilst we are more than a win away from the play-offs we are still only four points away. A win is vital to ensure that we don?t fall too far away.