On Tuesday, Celtic travel to Trafford for the re-arranged New Year fixture. Trafford are currently eleventh on thirty-nine points, four places and four points behind Celtic with a game in hand. Kick-off is 7:45pm.

A win for Trafford, and a win in their game in hand, would see them go above Celtic, so the two teams are close in the table. Indeed, at one point, Trafford topped the table. Until November, Trafford remained in the top five, but in their last eleven games have won twice, beating Chasetown (3-2) and Nantwich (2-1), drawn five and lost four. Seven of those eleven matches were at home, with three of the losses at home. One of their wins, against Nantwich, was their last match and last home match. Their last home loss was mid-January when Witton beat Trafford 2-1.

Former Celt, Rio Clegg, is Trafford’s top scorer, with nine. Nobody else comes close. On average, Trafford score 1.1 goals at home, 1.3 overall. Four times (from seven in total) they have failed to score at home, but have scored in their last six home games. Defensively, Trafford concede 1.4 goals per game and have kept two of their six clean sheets at home. With fifteen goals scored at home, Trafford have the fourth worst home attack in the league and have won more away games than home games. With seven goals scored in the last five minutes, Trafford have not only rescued points at the death, but won games they were losing. Their 3-2 home win over Chasetown saw Trafford score twice in stoppage time to snatch the win.

One of Trafford’s away wins this season was at Bower Fold, a game they won 2-1, with a late comeback capped only by Liam Tongue’s penalty. We have won at Trafford, in our first competitive visit last season, in the FA Trophy, which we won 2-1. In the Manchester Cup and the league, we failed to beat them in Trafford, losing 3-2 in the cup, and drawing 1-1 in the league, in both cases Trafford coming back strong at the end.

In Trafford’s last match, the 2-1 home win over Nantwich, Trafford lined up as:
1. Sam Booth
2. Sean Higgins
3. Ryley Smith
4. Jordan Fagbola
5. Harry Norris
6. Jack Higginbottom
7. Matty Morgan
8. Brad Byrne
9. Rio Clegg
10. Jerome Wright
11. Kevin Spinelli

In Celtic’s last match the 2-2 draw away at Avro, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Jordan Butteworth
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Brandon Newell
5. Max Leonard
6. Jack Tinning
7. Jack Irlam
8. Liam Tongue
9. Lewis Rawsthorn
10. Joe Duckworth
11. Benni Smales-Braithwaite

Celtic could re-enter the top five with a win, although with Nantwich and Chasetown playing each other, we can only reach fifth, even with a draw. Hednesford are at home to Witton.