On Saturday, Celtic travel to Kidsgrove Athletic for our league match. Kidsgrove are currently thirteenth on eleven points, five points and ten places below Celtic having played a game more. Kick-off is 3pm.
Away from home this season, Kidsgrove have yet to pick up any wins, but at home, they have yet to drop points, the only team in the league with a hundred percent home record. They have not played at home since August, losing away at Vauxhall and Runcorn and drawing with Bootle in September. Their last home game saw them beat Congleton 1-0, with other home wins over Chasetown and Wythenshawe. That home win over Chasetown has been Chasetown’s only loss this season, so Kidsgrove is a difficult place to go.
Kidsgrove have scored in every match except their recent 3-0 away defeat at Runcorn. Six of their twelve goals this season came from two players, Macauley Taylor and Oliver Finney, who have three apiece. On average, they score two goals a game at home (1.6 overall), whilst conceding 0.7 goals per home game (1.5 overall). Kidsgrove are strong finishers, with eight goals conceded in the first half, whilst scoring only three, but six conceded in the second half, whilst scoring nine.
In our four meetings with Kidsgrove, Celtic have yet to lose, with two away draws and two home wins. Our most recent visit saw a goalless draw, whilst the last meeting between the two sides at Bower Fold saw Celtic win by a single goal in a 1-0 win, Brandon Newell with the goal.
In Kidsgrove’s last match, the 2-1 away defeat to Vauxhall, Kidsgrove lined up as:
1. Tommy Gilbert
2. Oliver Sweeney
3. Nathan Morely
4. Jack Bromfield
5. Shaun Rhodes
6. Joshua Thorpe
7. Oliver Finney
8. Henry Bereton
9. Callum Middleton
10. Logan Cousins
11. Alex Barnett
In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Sporting Khalsa, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Mike Koral
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Jordan Butterworth
5. Jack Byrne
6. Jack Tinning
7. Ellis Horan
8. Liam Tongue
9. Benni Smales-Braithwaite
10. Jack Irlam
11. Andy Scarisbrick
With neither Lower Breck nor Chasetown playing on Saturday, a win for Celtic could send us top. Celtic will be looking at the fitness of Mike Koral and Dylan Scott ahead of the match, but Ruben Jerome could be a few weeks away yet with damaged ribs against Trafford.
