Corby Town host second placed Stalybridge Celtic at Steel Park on Saturday, as the club try to build on their FA Cup success against Histon on Wednesday evening.

The Steelmen will again be without the suspended Paul Mayo, whilst Andy Burgess, Nick Rogan and Jordan Smith remain major doubts after picking up an injuries during the back-to-back matches against Histon. 

As if that isn’t difficult enough, Graham Drury’s men face the unenviable task of stopping one of the league’s in form sides. Jim Harvey’s Stalybridge Celtic have won nine and drawn two of their opening eleven fixtures, and remain unbeaten in the Blue Square Bet North. They currently sit just two points behind league leaders Hyde. Despite remaining unbeaten in the league, Stalybridge lost their unbeatable tag last weekend when they were beaten 2-1 at home to BSBN rivals Guiseley in the FA Cup with Budweiser.

The two sides could not be separated last season, drawing 2-2 at the Rockingham Triangle in February and 1-1 at Bower Field in March.  However, Celtic are yet to beat Corby Town in a Blue Square Bet North fixture, with the Steelmen triumphing 3-1 away and  5-1 at home over the Cheshire club during the 2009/10 season.

The Steelmen must be wary of striker Phil Marsh, who has bagged 11 goals already this season. He sits only behind Hyde’s impressive Scott Spencer in the Blue Square Bet North’s goalscoring stakes. Marsh joined Stalybridge in August 2010. He has an excellent pedigree starting out at Manchester United, even making a first team appearance in the Carling Cup against Crewe Alexandra. In June 2007, he was released from Manchester United, and went north of the border to Inverness Calendonian Thistle for a trial, but ultimately joined Blackpool. Not getting any starts led to Phil having trials at Bury, although he impressed, he was not taken on, and joined Northwich Victoria instead in 2008, before moving to Hyde United. His stay at the Tigers was brief, making just five appearances, before moving onto Leigh Genesis and scoring on his debut. At the start of 2009/10 season, Phil joined FC United of Manchester, staying with them for one season, before returning to full time football with Celtic in August 2010, winning the Golden Boot in his first season.