On Good Friday, Celtic travel to Witton Albion. Witton are currently tenth in the table on fifty-two points, seven places and twenty points behind third-placed Celtic. Kick off 3pm.

Up until December, Witton had an uneven start to the season, winning five, losing eight and drawing eight, a good spell around Christmas, convincingly beating Runcorn, Chasetown and Nantwich turned their season around. Since beating Lower Breck 4-3 with a stoppage time winner, they have lost twice in their last eight, winning the other six. In this period, they’ve lost to Avro, but taken the scalps of Bootle and Vauxhall, meaning they have beaten everybody but Avro who are above them in the table, so Celtic cannot treat Witton as a mid-table side. When they came to Bower Fold earlier this season, they beat us.

Joe Duckworth is Witton’s top scorer, on fourteen. Freddy Garbutts isn’t far behind on twelve, and both have recently located their shooting boots, scoring six between them in the last four games. On average, they score 1.6 goals at home (1.8 overall), and concede 1.6 goals per game (home and away). They have scored ten more goals away from home, than they have at home. Witton have four clean sheets at home, from nine and Witton have failed to score four times at home. They have the sixth worst home attack, and the sixth worst home defence over the course of the season, but in their last six have turned that around, with thirteen scored and five conceded.

Earlier this season (August), Witton came to Bower Fold and beat us 3-1, with Benni Smales-Braithwaite starting a comeback that never materialised. Our last visit to Wincham saw us win 1-0, with Joe Duckworth scoring against his former and future club. Their last win over us there was the season before, when they beat us 3-0. In our last five visits, we have won four.

In Witton’s last match, the 3-0 away win over Darlaston Town, Albion lined up as:
1. Cameron Terry
2. Matt Cook
3. Damola Sotona
4. James Lawrie
5. Geffry Ebhote
6. Alfie Bairstow
7. Tom Hoyle
8. Jacob Hamman
9. Freddy Garbutt
10. Joe Duckworth
11. Joe Edwards

In Celtic’s last match, the 2-0 home win over Trafford, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Jordan Butterworth
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Aaron Chalmers
5. Jack Byrne
6. Ellis Horan
7. Andy Scarisbrick
8. Charlie Doyle
9. Ruben Jerome
10. Jack Irlam
11. Benni Smales-Braithwaite

Some games will be played on Saturday, and some on Friday. If results over the two days go Celtic’s way, Avro (away at Shifnal) are one point ahead, whilst Bury (at home to Congleton) are five, so the highest we could reach going into Easter Monday is second. If results go against Celtic, we are three points clear of Runcorn (away at Trafford), but Celtic have a four better goal difference. Lower Breck (away at Kidsgrove) and Vauxhall Motors (at home to Chasetown) are four behind, so the most we can drop is to fourth.