Match Preview :- Altrincham - Saturday August 21st, 2004 (15:00:00)
On Saturday at 3pm, Altrincham will be making the short trip around the M60 to Bower Fold for Celtic?s second home match of the season.

And what a time to be meeting these old rivals! In the league, Celtic have won the last 7 home encounters with the Robins, and this is a grand tradition. However, Altrincham are coming into the game on the back of two emphatic victories over Ashton and Gainsborough, whilst Celtic come in on the back of a home and away draw with Lancaster and Worksop.

As with Lancaster on Tuesday, there are a number of old faces in the likely starting line up for Altrincham, with Colin Potts, Marcus Hallows and Ged Kielty all in the squad, though the latter two may well start on the bench.

1. Stuart Coburn
2. Gary Scott
3. Chris Adams
4. Stephen Rose
5. Peter Band
6. Steve Aspinall
7. Colin Potts
8. Eddie Hussin
9. Niell Hardy
10. Peter Wright
11. Colin Little

Gary Talbot may also be on the bench for Altrincham, after missing the opening two games for a suspension picked up last season.

user posted image
Colin Potts may well start.

Celtic are still missing the services of Dean Calcutt (1 match remaining on his ban), Danny Caldecott (knee), Terry Bowker (knee) and Chris Denham (leg), though we may be naming a substitute goalkeeper! Greg Pearce is also unlikely to start, though he may be on the bench. Other than that, the team that played so well against Lancaster will probably start (barring surprise signings!):

1. Craig Dootson
2. Dave German
3. Tony Whealing
4. Ben Smith
5. Barrie Keeling
6. Nathan Wharton
7. Paul Sykes
8. Kevin Parr
9. Andy Hayward
10. Phil Eastwood
11. Ian Monk

All of Altrincham?s goals have come in the last 20 minutes, so if Celtic are going to win this one (and we do need to win it), we are going to have to make more of our chances in the opening half. Hitting the target is a must. Coburn is a highly rated non-league goalkeeper, and we?re going to have to test him, and keep him busy, otherwise Altrincham are going to make it 3 out of 3, and beat us at Bower Fold for the first time in 10 years.

To make matters worse, the prediction algorithm is predicting a 2-1 victory for the visitors ? though that?s not the way round I?ll be putting it in my prediction for the fantasy league!
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