On Saturday, Celtic’s final league match of the season sees Chasetown the visitors. Chasetown are currently eighth in the league, nineteen points and five places below Celtic. Kick-off 3pm.

Chasetown cannot get into the top five. Currently twelve points off fifth placed Lower Breck. Though they won their last match 2-1 at home to Congleton, Chasetown’s previous win was six games ago, when they beat Shifnal Town 2-1 away. Since the end of January, Chasetown have won four, drawn three, and lost eight; though in their last five matches, they drew three, lost one and won one. Their last six away matches stretch back to the end of February, seeing them win two, draw one and lose three. They were the first team to beat Lower Breck, and the only team to take six points off them. They have lost more away matches than any other team in the top twelve (nine), but have won more than Mossley and Nantwich (seven), putting them bottom of the away losses for the top twelve, and ninth for away wins. Their home form has been better than their away form, and Chasetown have been hovering around eighth for most of the season.

They have scored the fewest away goals of any team in the top twelve, but are fifth in away scoring over the same range. Though Joey Butlin leads the league scorers chart for Chasetown on eight, Luke Yates leads their away scorers with five. They have had twelve clean sheets this season, but only three on the road, and have failed to score six times away and five at home. On average, they score 1.2 goals away (1.3 overall) and concede 1.6 goals per away game (1.2 overall). Their favourite scoreline this season has been 2-1, occurring eleven times, though they were on the losing side of that five times.

Chasetown have already beaten us at their place this season. 2-1. Two late goals after Andy Scarisbrick scored early doors, and Celtic held Chasetown at bay for eighty minutes. Their last visit to Bower Fold saw Celtic win. 2-1. A brace from Lewis Rawsthorn and a late goal. They have won at Bower Fold, back in April 2024, in our first season in the NPL-1 West, beating us 1-0 that time, matching the result at their place. Our only other meeting, was in the FA Cup, when they held us to a draw in 2015, and Celtic won at Bower Fold in the replay. Jack Higgins and Adam Farrell scoring at the end of each half to win 2-0.

In Chasetown’s last match, the 2-1 home win over Congleton, Chasetown lined up as:
1. Curtis Pond
2. Olly Haywood
3. Joe Dunne
4. Nat Kelly
5. Nathan Cameron
6. Sam Wilding
7. Tom Thorley
8. Jack Langston
9. Joey Butlin
10. Luke Yates
11. Jordan Evans

In Celtic’s last match, the 2-2 away draw with Runcorn, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Mike Koral
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Aaron Chalmers
5. Jack Byrne
6. Jordan Butterworth
7. Andy Scarisbrick
8. Charlie Doyle
9. Max Leonard
10. Jack Irlam
11. Ellis Horan

With good luck and a following wind, Celtic will be back up to full strength going into the playoffs.

A win for Celtic confirms third place. A loss for Celtic and it depends on how Runcorn fare away at Newcastle Town. If they win and we don’t win (if we draw, there is only a two goal difference between the two teams), we will be fourth. Finishing third would mean we are at home to Runcorn. Finishing fourth would mean we are away at Runcorn (if they beat Newcastle). If Celtic get through to the final, this is where it gets complicated. We are either away at Bury if they beat Atherton away, or away at Avro if they beat Darlaston at home and Bury lose. If Bury draw, and Avro beat Darlaston by seven goals, they could technically win on goal difference, and we might be away at Bury on Tuesday. Unless…The final play-off spot is between Lower Breck, Bootle and (an outside chance of Vauxhall, again on goal difference). If Lower Breck, Bootle or (maybe) Vauxhall beat Bury or Avro, they would be at Bower Fold next weekend. So the semi-final is relatively simple, but the final is any one of five teams.