On Saturday, Celtic’s last home game of 2023 sees us host Hanley Town. Hanley are currently twelfth in the league on twenty-four points, seven places and six points behind Celtic, with a game in hand. Kick-off is 3pm.

Hanley have won only one less game than Celtic but have lost three more. They started the season badly, with one point in four matches before a little run saw them win four in five. In their last eight matches, they have drawn once, lost four and won three, their last away game saw them beat Vauxhall Motors 2-0, whilst their last away loss was the game before when Witton beat them 2-0. Hanley’s last match was a goalless draw with Kidsgrove in Hanley. With three away losses, two draws and four wins, they are slightly better than at home, taking fourteen points from twenty-seven. At home they have five losses, a draw and three wins, taking ten from twenty-seven.

Hanley’s defence is the third best in the league keeping more away clean sheets than any other team. It is the second best away from home, with only Prescot conceding fewer on the road than Hanley’s nine. However, scoring, no-one has scored fewer on the road than Hanley’s six, and they have the worst attack in the league. Tyrone Ofori is their top scorer, on five, with his three away goals making half of the away goals they’ve scored. They score an average of 0.8 on the road (0.9 overall) whilst conceding a goal per game away from home (1.3 overall).

We’ve already played Hanley this season, in our opening match at Hanley, which Celtic won 2-1, coming back from a Joel Stair opener to have Aaron Dwyer equalise and Max Harrop give us the lead from the spot.

In Hanley’s last match, the 0-0 home draw with Kidsgrove, Hanley lined up as:
1. Tommy Jackson
2. James Askey
3. Alex Morris
4. Tim Sanders
5. Joel Stair
6. Ryan Shotton
7. Josh Green
8. Kyle Blake
9. Kieran Brown
10. Saul Shotton
11. Lucas Baker

In Celtic’s last league match, the goalless away draw with 1874 Northwich, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Scott Wara
3. Cole Lonsdale
4. Joe Robbins
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Jack Tinning
7. Brad Byrne
8. Michael Brewster
9. Max Leonard
10. Jack Irlam
11. Darius Palma

Celtic could go second with a win and results going our way. Runcorn (away at Chasetown) are a point ahead, whilst Prescot (at home to Mossley) and Avro (away at Nantwich) are two points ahead. Leek (away at Widnes) are five points. Three teams can catch Celtic, meaning the wrong results could see us fall to eighth, with Clitheroe (away at Liverpool) three behind and both Kidsgrove (at home to Northwich) and Bootle (away at Newcastle) two behind.

Aaron Dwyer will be back, as should Darius Osei. With Jack Tinning back to playing, James Kinsey has a selection headache at the back.