On Saturday, Celtic must put the Trophy exit behind us and focus on the league as we travel to Runcorn to face Linnets. Runcorn are currently fourteenth in the league, seven points and twelve places below Celtic, though they have two games in hand.

Those two games in hand, should Runcorn win them, would put them only a point behind Celtic. Though they are currently midtable, this is a kind of six-pointer, as winning it and the games in hand would put Runcorn above us. Winning the games in hand is a big ask, with Runcorn having won only twice so far this season, once at home and once away. Away from home, they beat City of Liverpool 3-2 with a stoppage time penalty. Whilst at home in their most recent league match, Linnets beat Witton 4-2, scoring two in each half. Runcorn’s most recent game was an FA Cup match with Chorley. Will Saxon put them ahead in the home match, with Chorley equalising and forcing a replay, which Chorley won 3-1, Runcorn’s consolation a stoppage time goal. They also exited the FA Trophy, this time at home after holding Witton to a goalless draw, but losing 4-3 on penalties.

Runcorn have scored in all their home matches, their only failure to score coming in a 3-0 away loss to Kidsgrove. They score an average of 2 goals per game at home, and 1.8 overall, though they’ve only played two away matches. They’ve conceded in every match, at a rate of 1.7 goals per game at home and 2.1 overall. In total, they’ve scored nine, with Eden Gumbs squeaking ahead in the league scorers chart with two goals. Runcorn have conceded ten, with three goals conceded in stoppage time.

Runcorn will be hoping to improve on last season’s final position, when they lost in the play-off final. Since their formation in the early 2000s, we have met in the Cheshire Senior cup twice, winning the first 2-1 (goals from Corey Gregory and Mitch Austin) in 2013 and losing the second in 2022, though the second time was taken to a replay, which Runcorn won 1-0 at Bower Fold. Runcorn have already knocked us out of the FA Cup this season, after a mad five minutes at the start of the second half saw the hosts storm to a 3-0 lead. Though we pressed back strongly, we could only pull two back, with Obua Mugalula and Aaron Dwyer scoring late on.

In Linnet’s last match, the 3-1 away loss at Chorley in the FA Cup, Runcorn lined up as:
1. Bayleigh Passant
2. Sam Barratt
3. Peter Wylie
4. Jacques Welsh
5. Harry Hagan
6. Anthony Kay
7. Kenny Brown
8. Lewis Doyle
9. Ryan Brooke
10. Will Saxon
11. Eden Gumbs

In Celtic’s last match, the away draw, but loss on penalties away at Avro, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Scott Wara
3. Jack Tinning
4. Brandon Newell
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Jai Curran-Nichols
7. Brad Byrne
8. Michael Brewster
9. Matty Bryan
10. Max Harrop
11. Jordan Burton

This is a chance of a bit of revenge for Celtic for the FA Cup exit. Celtic have lost once in the league, winning four. Away from home, we’ve won two out of three. But make no mistake, this will be a tough match.