On Saturday, Celtic are back on the road after a week off travelling to Hednesford Town for a six pointer of a match. Hednesford are four points and two places ahead of Celtic in fourth on fifty-seven points. Kick-off 3pm.

After an inconsistent start to the season, winning four, drawing four and losing four of their opening twelve games, Hednesford have put together promotion form over their last twelve matches, losing twice, drawing three and winning seven. They haven’t lost at home since the start of December, when Bootle beat them 4-2. In their six home games since, Hednesford have drawn two and won four, most recently beating Congleton 1-0, and have only dropped points against Widnes and Avro, both of whom got goalless draws.

With thirty-three goals scored at home, Hednesford have the fourth best home attack in the league, and have only conceded one goal in their last five matches, keeping four clean sheets. In total, they’ve conceded eighteen goals at home this season, the third best home defence. On average, they score two goals per game at home (1.9 overall) and concede 1.1 goals per home game (1.2 overall). Five of their nine clean sheets have been at home, and they have only failed to score twice at home, both games ending in goalless draws. Home and away, only Widnes have scored more and conceded fewer goals, putting them second overall in attack and defence. Eighteen different players have found the net this season, with Manny Duku just edging their league goal-scorers chart on eleven, though Dom McHale and Dan Trickett-Smith are both on ten.

We’ve met Hednesford twenty-one times in the last thirty years. Our most recent game saw Celtic win 4-3 at Bower Fold earlier this season, Max Leonard aand Brandon Newell both getting braces to overturn a three goal lead from Hednesford at the thirty-five minute mark. Our last visit to Hednesford, last season, finished 1-1, with Aaron Dwyer equalising. Hednesford’s last win over us was in 2019 in the Northern Premier, when they won 1-0 in Hednesford, and you have to go back to 2015 to find Celtic’s last win over Hednesford at Hednesford, in the Conference North, when Celtic won 2-1, with goals from Aidan Chippendale and Chris Simm cancelling out a goal inside the opening minute. In ten visits, Celtic have won twice, lost six and drawn twice.

In Hednesford’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Congleton, Hednesford lined up as:
1. Tony Breeden
2. Jamie Morgan
3. Joel Taylor
4. Simeon Maye
5. Elliott Johnson
6. Chris Hussy
7. Ahkeem Rose
8. Joe Doyle-Charles
9. Nathan Blissett
10. Dominic McHale
11. Daniel Trickett-Smith

In Celtic’s last match the 1-0 home win over Kidsgrove, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Jordan Butterworth
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Charlie Doyle
5. Sean Tse
6. Jack Tinning
7. Benni Smales-Braithwaite
8. Liam Tongue
9. Lewis Rawsthorn
10. Brandon Newell
11. Jack Irlam

Courtney Meppen-Walters’s loan has been extended until the end of the season, giving Jon Macken all three defenders for selection for the first time this season. Benni Smales-Braithwaite pulled up against Kidsgrove, but may be fit to play. A win for Celtic won’t lift us above fifth placed Congleton (at home to Wythenshawe), who have a much better goal difference, but would keep us in the reckoning on the home straight. Trafford (Away at Atherton) are waiting for Celtic to slip up to sneak ahead of us. Runcorn are also with striking distance, but not playing.