Stalybridge Celtic vs. Leigh RMI preview

By Matt Lawton
March 5 2007

After claiming two league victories in succession, RMI begin arguably the most important run of fixtures in their history when they visit Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday evening.

Two clinical strikes from Chris Simm along with a bizarre own goal helped RMI claim a 3-1 victory at Hucknall on Saturday, hot on the heels of the previous weekend’s 2-1 home win over Worcester City, with those two results moving the Hilton Park side five points clear of the Conference North relegation zone.

Although RMI haven’t the best of records against Stalybridge, having lost 3-1 in their previous encounter at Hilton Park in January while last season’s visit to Bower Fold ended in a disastrous 6-1 defeat, they lie just three points behind Celtic in the league and will be looking to extend the cushion between themselves and relegation rivals Scarborough.

Not only are Leigh hot on the heels of Stalybridge, but Barrow visit Hilton Park on Saturday afternoon with the two sides currently level on thirty five points, before Stuart Humphreys’ side make the trip to second bottom Redditch on March 17th.

Humphreys has a couple of injury worries to contend with ahead of Tuesday’s game with midfielder Steve Porter and centre back Mark Maddox both rated doubtful after being forced to leave Saturday’s action early due to injury, while defender-turn-midfielder Gavin Lee-Ellison picked up a slight knock in the second half at Watnall Road and as such faces a late fitness test.

The trip to Bower Fold is one of the shortest of RMI’s season, with the grounds barely twenty five miles and forty five minutes apart, with a simple journey via the M60 all that is required to get to the ground.