On Saturday Celtic face Nantwich Town at Bower Fold. Nantwich are currently fifteenth in the league on fourteen points, seven points and ten places behind fifth-placed Celtic. Kick-off is 3pm.

Nantwich have not won since mid-October, when they beat Kidsgrove at home. Since then, they have drawn two and lost three, the two draws coming at home. Their last and only away win was at the end of August when they beat Northwich 1-0. Their last match saw them draw 2-2 at home with Bootle, whilst their last two away matches were both losses, losing 2-1 to Trafford and 2-0 to Leek.

In their last three away matches, Nantwich have found the net once. With only two goals on the road, they have the worst away attack of any team in the league. On average, they’ve scored their fifteen goals at a rate of 1.1 goals per game overall, but only 0.4 goals per game on the road, with seven different scorers, though Byron Harrison leads their goal chart with five. Defensively, they are much better, having conceded only six on the road. Only Prescot and Avro have conceded fewer away goals. Overall, their fourteen conceded goals have come at a rate of 1.2 goals per game. They’ve kept one away clean sheet (against Northwich) and failed to score three times away from home in five away matches.

Historically, Nantwich have a good record at Bower Fold. They have won on their last three visits here, and in their last nine visits, have won five. Celtic have won three and there was one draw. Our last win over Nantwich at Bower Fold was in 2018, when we beat them 1-0 in the FA Trophy with Scott Bakkor’s penalty the difference. Our last league win was at the start of the same season, when we beat them 1-0 thanks to an Alex Honeyball goal just before the interval. The last meeting between the two teams was in January of last season, when we beat them 4-0 in Nantwich after a dominant performance saw DJ Pedro, Chris Dagnall, Theo Bailey-Jones, and Kyle Harrison all find the net. In the last twenty meetings, Celtic have eight wins, Nantwich eleven and one draw.

In Nantwich’s last match, the 2-2 home draw with Prescot, Nantwich lined up as:
1. Daniel Roberts
2. Paddy Kay
3. Tyler Hill
4. Mohamud Ali
5. Nathan Okone
6. Scott Butler
7. Steven Hewitt
8. Ahmed Ali
9. Byron Harrison
10. Connor Heath
11. Connor Rankin

In Celtic’s last league match, the 1-0 away loss In Chasetown, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Scott Wara
3. Jordan Burton
4. Brandon Newell
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Jai Curran-Nichols
7. Brad Byrne
8. Jack Irlam
9. Max Leonard
10. Max Harrop
11. Aaron Dwyer

Matty Bryan came on as sub against Chasetown and again at Trafford, having recovered from his injury, whilst Tom Thorpe and Jack Tinning are both still out. Celtic have strengthened two key areas, with Celtic hero, Darius Osei returning, and fullback Cole Lonsdale arriving from Ashton.

Celtic are three points behind Clitheroe (away at Hanley) and Prescot (away at Hednesford) in first and second respectively, though both have a much better goal difference, so even with a win, we’re unlikely to overtake them. Leek (at home to Avro) are two points ahead, and Kidsgrove (away at Widnes) one point ahead, so a win could see us leapfrog them. Five teams are within three points of Celtic, so a loss could see us drop to eleventh! Chasetown (away at Liverpool), Bootle (away at Northwich), Avro (away at Leek), while Mossley are at Runcorn.