On Saturday, Celtic take the hop across Cheshire to face Nantwich Town. Nantwich are currently tenth in the league on thirty-eight points, five places and ten points behind Celtic. Kick-off is 3pm.
A disastrous November and December for Nantwich saw them win two, draw one and lose eight, but at the turn of the year, Nantwich turned their fortunes around, and have won all three games in 2026, their most recent home game smashing six past Stafford on New Year's Day. At home, Nantwich have won their last two matches, beating Stafford and Bootle, but lost the three preceding that, with Vauxhall inflicting the heaviest loss at 5-3. Their only home draw this season was right at the start when Mossley held them to a 1-1.
Alex Panter leads their goal scoring chart, with fourteen goals, finding the net nine times in their last seven matches. Their most dangerous period is ten minutes either side of half-time, with eighteen goals scored. On average, Nantwich scored their twenty-eight home goals at a rate of 2.2 goals per game (1.6 overall) and conceded their twenty-four goals at a rate of 1.8 goals per game (1.7 overall). Only four teams have scored more home goals, but nobody has conceded more home goals than Nantwich, giving them the fifth best home attack, but the worst home defence. They have kept one clean sheet at home (against Shifnal), and have failed to score once (against Runcorn).
In the last five meetings between the two team, all the games in the Norther Premier League West division, Celtic have won 3 and Nantwich two, with the home side winning in each case. Over those games, there have been twenty-six goals, with Celtic netting twelve, and Nantwich fourteen. Our last meeting, at Bower Fold, earlier this season, saw Celtic win 3-2, coming from a goal down to never look like losing. Our last visit to the Dabbers was in November last season when Nantwich put four past us without reply, a Kai Evans hattrick sealing Celtic’s fate.
In Nantwich’s last match, the 2-0 away win over Congleton Town, Nantwich lined up as:
1. Ben Garratt
2. Aidan Roxburgh
3. James Baillie
4. Fenton Green
5. Ben Hockenull
6. Patrick Kennedy
7. Alex Panter
8. Joel Connolly
9. Byron Harrison
10. Patrick Jarrett
11. Byron Moore
In Celtic’s last match the 3-2 home win over Kidsgrove, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Mike Koral
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Aaron Chalmers
5. Jack Byrne
6. Charlie Doyle
7. Andy Scarisbrick
8. Liam Tongue
9. Ruben Jerome
10. Max Leonard
11. Ellis Horan
Celtic are within two points of second-placed Avro, who are away at Runcorn; Runcorn are level on points with us. We are also one point behind Bury (away at Stafford). If results go our way, we could be third. Only Vauxhall are within three points of Celtic, and have a better goal difference, so if they beat Kidsgrove away, Celtic could drop to sixth with a loss.