On Saturday, Celtic are back at home to face league leaders, Widnes. Widnes are currently top on fifty-six points, three places and ten points ahead of Celtic with three games in hand. Kick-off 3pm.

They are four points clear of second placed Vauxhall, on the same number of games, with both teams in an enviable position of having games in hand and still being top. Apart from a few weeks last year when Vauxhall were top, Widnes have occupied the top spot since gaining it in September. Their only two away losses came at the start of the campaign, beaten by Trafford and Chasetown, in their opening six games. Since then, the only points dropped on the road was a goalless draw at Atherton in October. They have mainly played home games since, but have won their last five away games, a current league streak record. With seven wins on the bounce, they also hold the longest winning streak.

With fifty-eight goals scored and twenty-three conceded, they have the best attack in the league and the best defence, so top is justified. Four teams have scored more than Widnes on the road, including us, but nobody comes close to their defensive record of conceding thirteen. They score an average of 2.2 goals away from home, and concede 1.1 (0.9 overall). Three of their ten clean sheets came on the road, and the only two times they failed to score was away from the DCBL. In Sean Miller (eleven goals) and James Steele (ten goals), a third of their goals have come from this pairing.

We have visited the DCBL in Widnes already this season, and seen how well-drilled Widnes are, losing 3-0 without mustering a single shot on target ourselves. Their last visit to Bower Fold was also this season when they came and knocked us out of the FA Cup in August, again without Celtic getting a single shot on target. Last season we fared better, beating them 4-3 at home, and drawing 1-1 away. Both games seeing late goals.

In Widnes’s last match, the 5-1 home win over Congleton, Widnes lined up as:
1. Mark Halstead
2. Jack Walls
3. Matty Rain
4. Niall Battersby
5. Louis Isherwood
6. Ben Rydel
7. Steve Irwin
8. Harry McGee
9. Jack McGowan
10. Sean Miller
11. James Steele

In Celtic’s last match the 2-1 away win over Trafford, 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

A loss for Celtic could see us drop back out of the top five. Benni Smales-Braithwaite limped off against Trafford, but coming in on loan is Courtney Meppen-Walters to bolster the defence.