On Tuesday night, weather permitting, Celtic will host Hednesford Town. Hednesford are currently fourteenth in the league on twenty-two points, two places and two points behind Celtic with five games in hand. Kick-off 7:45pm.

Hednesford are in a false position and a long way behind most of the league in terms of games. The fact they are not far away in terms of points is down to their results. Only Widnes and Chasetown have lost fewer matches than Hednesford’s four. Chasetown, like Hednesford, have only played fourteen. With a points per game of 1.57, if they carried that form on to catch up in games played, they would be seventh. They have lost twice away on the road, both losses coming in their last five away matches, and both on a Tuesday night, with Mossley and Congleton both beating them 1-0. They have won their last two matches though, including their last away match, beating Newcastle 2-1.

With twenty-seven goals scored in fourteen games, Hednesford have the best attack over the number of games of any team in the league. With three goals in two games, Daniel Trickett-Smith has shot to the top of their league golden boot chart with six goals. On average, they score 2.1 goals away from home and 1.9 overall, with their two failures to score coming away from home in their only away losses. They concede 1.3 goals per game both home and away. Hednesford have kept two clean sheets, one away and one at home.

Hednesford’s last two visits to Bower Fold resulted in a 3-2 win (goals from Max Harrop, Aaron Dwyer, and Greg Wilkinson) and a 1-0 win (goal from Scott Bakkor) for Celtic. You have to go back to the National League North days in 2014 for Hednesford’s last win at Bower Fold, when they thrashed us 5-0 and 4-0 in consecutive seasons. IN ten visits, Celtic have won four, Hednesford have won four and their have been two draws.

In Hednesford’s last match, the 4-0 home win over City if Liverpool, Hednesford lined up as: 1. Jack Rose
2. Blaine Rowe
3. Daniel Sparkes
4. Elliott Johnson
5. Oliver Harrison
6. Kory Roberts
7. Daniel Trickett-Smith
8. Omar Holness
9. Manny Duku
10. Dominic McHale
11. Jack Bearne

In Celtic’s last match, the 3-2 home defeat to Runcorn, Celtic lined up as: 1. James McClenaghan
2. Luke Partington
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Sean Tse
5. Jordan Burton
6. Jack Tinning
7. Brandon Newell
8. Liam Tongue
9. Joe Duckworth
10. Jack Irlam
11. Navid Nasseri

Celtic are currently sinking down the league, and need to turn this around. We have a reasonable record against Hednesford, but they are in a false position in the league. Whilst Jack Tinning’s suspension does not kick in until Saturday, Javid Swaby-Neavin will be serving the last of his three match suspension.