On Tuesday, Celtic continue our FA Cup adventure when Bishop Auckland are the visitors. Bishop Auckland have lost all three of their opening league fixtures, and exited the FA Vase at the hands of Billingham Synthonia, however, they have done better in the two rounds of the FA Cup so far, knocking out Hall Road Rangers and Kendal Town. Kick-off is 7:45pm.

Bishop’s season started at the start of September, when they knocked Hall Road Rangers out of the FA Cup, beating them 1-0, with Chris Winn scoring the winner. In their other FA Cup match, the 5-0 thrashing of beleaguered Kendal Town, Craig Hutchinson got a brace either side of the interval, whilst Luke Hogan also bagged a brace and the rout was sealed in injury time by substitute Regan Nixon. In the league, they have only managed one goal in three games, Hutchinson again the scorer as they went down 2-1 at home to Whitely Bay. Their other two matches were both 1-0 defeats, to Northallerton Town and Newcastle Benfield leaving them eighteenth out of twenty in the Northern Football league Division 1.

It’s been nineteen years since we last met Bishop Auckland, when both teams were in the Northern Premier and twenty years since they last visited. Our last meeting in 2001 was a 2-0 win for Celtic at their place, with Martin Filson and Steve Jones scoring in a dominant first half performance, whilst the reverse fixture two decades ago, saw Matty McNeil and Gary Bauress put Celtic top of the table, with a dominant second half performance. In the last thirty years, Bishop Auckland have visited seven times. Celtic have won five, Auckland once, and there was a goalless draw in 1991. Our best win was in 1999 when we put five past them.

In Bishop Auckland’s last match, the 2-1 defeat by Whitely Bay, they lined up as:
1. Nick Liversedge
2. Ryan Robinson
3. Liam Goldsborough
4. Liam Potter
5. Kris Summers
6. Jamie Davis
7. Jack Connor
8. Luke Brownless
9. Craig Hutchinson
10. Callum Munro
11. Luke Hogan

Celtic have reached this round after a 3-1 away win over Stocksbridge Park Steels, and have only played one league match, a 1-1 draw at home to Lancaster on Saturday, in which Celtic lined up as:
1. Tom Stewart
2. Kallum Mantack
3. Ben Woods
4. Scott Sephton
5. Tom Wilson
6. Luke Barlow
7. Krisel Prifti
8. Anthony Williams
9. Mike Burke
10. Charley Doyle
11. Jon Ustabasi

There will be no extra time or replay in the event of a draw, the game going straight to penalties. Bower Fold events will be open and full covid-19 restrictions are in force. Please get to the ground as early as possible and follow all instructions.