Celtic are back in the league with Basford United the visitors to Bower Fold.

Basford picked up their first win of the season at the weekend when they beat Stourbridge in the FA Cup. Tickets are available to purchase online but will be available to buy on the gate.

There are signs that Basford are starting to turn their season around, after beating Stourbridge in the FA Cup, a team on a par in terms of league level. 

However, their start to their league campaign has been lacking thus far, with two losses and four draws. They kicked off this season’s campaign with a goalless draw at home to Scarborough, with away losses at Matlock (2-1) and Atherton (3-0) following.

Draws at home to Stafford (1-1) and Witton (2-2) brought their tally up to three for the season before their only away points of the season so far coming away at Grantham when they drew 1-1. This has to be frustrating to a team that looked set to compete in the play-offs before Covid curtailed season having topped the league last season after nine games, with five straight wins in a row.

Kane Richards is still with Basford, having been their top scorer for the past two seasons, and adding another this season, though they have had five different scorers for their five goals so far this season. 

They conceded just two in their last five last season, scoring eleven in the process, but so far this season have only managed a clean sheet on the opening day, and have conceded nine in their last five matches, whilst scoring five all season.

Basford visited Bower Fold last season, beating us 1-0 thanks to former Celtic defender Stefan Galinski netting the winner fifteen minutes from time. 

The season before, we played them both home and away, and lost both, with Basford scoring three in each match, with the home match seeing Celtic take a two-goal lead through Darius Osei and Jonathan Ustabasi, only for a mad ten minutes that saw Kane Richards draw the visitors level and an own goal from Stephen O’Halloran sealing the points for the visitors. Add this to the two wins Basford enjoyed at our expense in the 2018/19 season and Basford have a hundred per cent record over Celtic.

In Basford’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Stourbridge in the FA Cup, Basford lined up as:
1. Adam Collin
2. Owen Betts
3. Ryan Wilson
4. Dominic Roma
5. Bradley Gascoigne
6. Declan Dunn
7. Terry Hawkridge
8. Alex Howes
9. Aaron O’Connor
10. Kane Richards
11. Revarnelle James

Celtic’s last match was the 1-0 home defeat by Colne in the FA Cup, in which we lined up as:
1. Lewis Hood
2. Dougie Nyaumpembe
3. Ashley Smith-Brown
4. Ioan Evans
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Keenan Quansah
7. Charley Doyle
8. Sam Wedgbury
9. Scott Bakkor
10. Jay Fitzmartin
11. Ethan Padden

Celtic were missing Grant Shenton, Stephen Brogan, Keano Deacon, Callum Harris and Shane Killock through injury against Colne, whilst Jack Ryan served a suspension.

Accrington loanee Lewis Hood and Jay Fitzpatrick who joined on loan from Bolton helped to boost the squad. Also joining the club this week is striker Kieran Wells who signs from Frickley.