On Saturday, Celtic have a re-arranged fixture when Bootle will be the visitors. Bootle’s draw on Tuesday night put them top of the table, on thirteen points, three points and four places above Celtic. Kick-off 3pm.

After winning their opening three matches without conceding a goal, Bootle lost their winning start at home to Vauxhall, who beat them 6-3. Since then, they beat Avro 2-1, and most recently drew away at Kidsgrove in a goalless encounter. Having had four home matches, Saturday is the start of three away matches for Bootle, and so far this season, they are unbeaten on the road, with their opening away fixture seeing them beat Trafford 1-0, sandwiched between 2-0 home wins over Atherton and Nantwich.

They kept three clean sheets in their opening matches, this coupled with their goalless draw away at Kidsgrove means they’ve yet to concede a goal on the road. Only Wythenshawe Town can match that, so whilst they have the meanest away defence, they also have the worst away attack, scoring one. They’ll be going up against Celtic who have the second tightest defence in the league so far, having conceded two, with only Widnes (who’ve conceded none at home) beating that. Four different players have scored two apiece for Bootle, with two others chipping in with one apiece. With four of their ten goals scored in the first quarter of an hour, they are a quick starting team, and Celtic have conceded three in the same period, half of the league goals against us this season, something to watch out for.

Our last league meetings with Bootle, last season, saw Celtic win 4-0 away (an Aaron Dwyer brace and goals from Darius Palma and Jack Tinning) and draw 1-1 at home, Obua Mugalula equalising for Celtic after missing a hatful of chances. Further back, we knocked them out of the FA Trophy in Bootle in 2021, and needed a replay to beat them in the FA Cup back in 1993. So far, Bootle have never beaten Celtic.

In Bootle’s last match, the goalless draw away at Kidsgrove, Bootle lined up as:
1. Tony Thompson
2. Jay Roberts
3. Sean Smith
4. Anthony Miley
5. Jonny Spittle
6. Saam Hughes
7. Kenzie O’Neill
8. Jack Lenehan
9. Tom Peterson
10. Andy Scarisbrick
11. Ben Hodkinson

In Celtic’s last match, the 2-1 away win over City of Liverpool, saw Celtic line up as: 1. Charlie Monks
2. Javid Swaby-Neavin
3. Jack Tinning
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Aaron Chalmers
6. Sean Tse
7. Ash Leather
8. Liam Tongue
9. Joe Duckworth
10. Max Leonard
11. Matty Bryan

Bootle finished last season in the play-off spots, and will be trying to go one better this season. This will be a tough match against a difficult to break down defence, who start quickly.