STALYBRIDGE Celtic will hope to build on last week’s mammoth 3-1 win over Brackley Town when they take on Gainsborough Trinity at Bower Fold on Saturday (KO 15:00).

Liam Watson’s side ended a barren run in-front of their home supporters that stretched back to December 19 with that triumph over the Saints when goals from Chris Simm, Charlie Joyce and Alec Mudimu ensured the points stayed in Greater Manchester on a nervous afternoon at Bower Fold.

Prior to that match Celtic had been slowly descending down the table and precariously looking over the shoulders. They now breathe slightly easier with a five-point cushion over the dreaded relegation zone.

Staly will look to extract revenge on Gainsborough for a 3-1 defeat they suffered way back in August when Adam Farrell’s consolation strike wasn’t enough to spark a revival after Celtic fell 3-0 down at Northolme in what was the fourth game of the season.

Stalybridge will consider Trinity there for the taking this weekend. The Lincolnshire side are in 12th place with little to play for and have suffered five defeats from their last six outings including last week’s 1-0 loss at lowly Lowestoft Town. This will be a third game in charge of Trinity for Dominic Roma, as the defender has stepped up to the role of interim manager after the departure of Steve Housham.

Team News

Celtic were much better last weekend after they switched to a 4-3-3 system with Chris Simm as the focal point of the attack. Liam Watson will consider going with that strategy straight from the off against a Gainsborough Trinity team that welcomed Jamie Yates back to first-team action at Lowestoft last week although Elliot Hodge missed out through injury.

Squad Last Time Out

Stalybridge: McMillan (C), Wylie, Wisdom, Shaw, Higgins, Chalmers, Mudimu, Joyce, Wright, Simm, Burns, Farrell, Chippendale, McKenna, Crowley, Tames.

Gainsborough: Budtz, Lacey, Brogan, D’Laryea, Quinn, Picton, Yates, Russell, Reid, Jarman (C), Davis, Stamp, Roma, Binns, Karkach, Hedge

By Jordan Davies
@jordandavies09

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