On Saturday, Celtic make the hop across Cheshire to face Witton Albion. Witton are currently sixth on thirty-eight points, two places and only one point behind Celtic having played a game more. Kick-off 3pm.

From the start of September to the end of November, Witton lost eight of their twelve matches dropping them to sixteenth in the table. Since the start of December, though, they have lost twice. Once at home to Vauxhall just before Christmas and again in their last away match to Nantwich (meaning they lost both their matches with Nantwich). In their last seven matches, they have won five, bringing them to the edge of the play-offs. Witton have won one more match than Celtic, but have lost four more. Their last match, a home tie with Kidsgrove, saw them win 3-1, with two penalties sealing the win.

With four converted penalties, Witton lead the chart of most penalties converted this season. Overall, only Northwich have conceded more goals than Witton, who have conceded thirteen more goals than Celtic. At home, they fair slightly better, with only Hednesford and Vauxhall conceding more, giving them the third worst home defence, though they seem to have turned that around recently, with only one goal conceded in their last three home matches, and three clean sheets in their last six home matches. On average, for the season, they have scored thirty-nine goals, twenty-one at home, at a rate of 1.5 overall and 1.6 at home, failing to score only once at home and three times overall. Defensively, they have conceded forty-eight overall with twenty-one at home, at a rate of 1.8 overall and 1.6 at home keeping three of their four clean sheets at home.

In the last thirty-five years we’ve met Witton thirty-three times. We won our previous encounter early in the season, beating them 4-0 with Matty Bryan and Aaron Dwyer both getting braces. In our last three league visits, we’ve won all three, with Witton’s last win over us at Wincham Park back in 2017, when they won 4-1. Our last visit there was in 2022 when we won 2-0 with Justin Johnson and Stephen Brogan scoring either side of half-time. In nineteen visits, we have won five and lost eight.

In Witton’s last match, the 3-1 home win over Kidsgrove, Witton lined up as:
1. Aaran Lyons
2. Mike Koral
3. Lee Jackson
4. Ben Harrison
5. Matthew Lowton
6. Brandon Newall
7. Harry Brazel
8. Cameron Fogerty
9. Joe Duckworth
10. Elliot Rokka
11. James Lawrie

In Celtic’s last league match, the 1-1 away draw with Trafford, Celtic lined up as:
1. Luke Hewitson
2. Pawel Zuk
3. Cole Lonsdale
4. Max Leonard
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Jack Tinning
7. Obua Mugalula
8. Greg Wilkinson
9. Jack Irlam
10. Joe Robbins
11. Leon Arnasalem

Aaron Dwyer and Darius Osei weren’t risked against Trafford, but should hopefully be back, whilst Cole Lonsdale will be missing after his red card against Trafford necessitating the first change in the back six since Boxing Day.

A win could lift us a place, if Runcorn lose at home to Trafford, with Prescot four points ahead of us and away at Liverpool, they cannot be caught, though the gap could be narrowed. A loss could see us drop out of the top five as Witton would leapfrog us and if Avro beat Clitheroe in Oldham.