On Saturday, Celtic make their first Saturday league away trip of the season when we travel to Kidsgrove Athletic for our third match, and their fourth. Kidsgrove are currently fifth in the league on six points, level on points with Celtic but two places behind on goal difference.

Kidsgrove started the season with an away loss at Widnes, losing 3-0, but followed it up with a 4-0 home demolition of Witton and a 2-1 comeback win over Hednesford. It’s early days, but Kingsley Adu-Gymafi has already bagged three goals, half of Kidsgrove’s goals this season. Last season Kidsgrove also started strongly, with seven opening wins and eight undefeated at the season’s start, they looked unstoppable, even beating eventual champions, Leek, in Leek. Though they rallied a little at the end of 2023, they won one match in the whole of 2024, until this season began, beating Clitheroe 2-1, going from first place in October, to avoiding relegation due to a league re-organisation.

Last season, we met Kidsgrove only in the league, with Celtic drawing 2-2 away from home in a game we arguably should have won, after Connor O’Grady gave Kidsgrove an early lead with an own goal, and Max Leonard conceded a dubious penalty with minutes left of normal time. An equaliser at the start of the second half from Jack Irlam and a stoppage time wonder free kick from Cole Lonsdale earned us a point. The return leg at Bower Fold saw Celtic was Celtic last match of the season, with Darius Osei and Joe Edwards scoring either side of a Lewis Bergen penalty. With all three goals for Kidsgrove handed on a platter, hopefully Celtic can improve on last season.

Kidsgrove’s last match, the 2-1 away win over Hednesford, saw Kidsgrove line up as:
1. Kieran Harrison
2. Harry Goode
3. Nathan Moorley
4. Saul Shotton
5. Shaun Rhodes
6. Richie Sutton
7. Jack Bromfield
8. Ernest Ofosu
9. Matt Rhead
10. Aaron Bott
11. Robbie Hatton

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 home defeat to Widnes in the FA Cup, saw Celtic line up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Javid Swaby-Neavin
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Aaron Chalmers
6. Jack Tinning
7. Jack Bannister
8. Liam Tongue
9. Josh Quarless
10. Jack Irlam
11. Connor Hughes

Kidsgrove’s start to last season shows they are more than capable of beating anybody, with two wins under their belt already, this is a stern test for Celtic.