On Bank Holiday Monday, Celtic make the short hop across Tameside to face recently relegated Ashton United. Ashton are currently twentieth after picking up one point in their opening three matches. They finished last season in twentieth, on thirty-five points, occupying the last relegation spot.
Last season they won nine (four at home) and drew eight (five at home) losing their other twenty-five matches (twelve at home). They scored forty-three goals (fourteen at home) and conceded eighty-six, joining FC United in a return to the Northern Premier League. Their best home result last season was a 3-0 win over Spennymoor, whilst their worst result was a 6-0 demolition by Stockport.
They started this season with a 2-2 draw at home to Atherton Colleries, Sam Sheridan getting both their goals. Their next two games were away from home and both losses, with only two late goals from Bamber Bridge denying them win after leading 2-1. Their away match at South Shields was a 3-0 defeat.
In their last match, the 3-2 away defeat at Bamber Bridge, Ashton lined up as:
1. Jon Worsnop
2. Kyle Harrison
3. Nicky Clee
4. Luca Havern
5. Jono Hunt
6. Sam Sheridan
7. Liam Tomsett
8. Chris Rowney
9. Steve Tames
10. Josh Wilson
11. James Hooper
In Celtic's last match, the 0-0 home draw with West Didsbury and Chorlton in the FA Cup, Celtic lined up as:
1. Alex Fojtíček
2. Declan Walker
3. Kallum Mantack
4. Anthony Whitehead
5. Mark Lees
6. Stephen O'Halloran
7. Scott Bakkor
8. Ross Dent
9. Craig Hobson
10. Nathan Valentine
11. Neil Kengni
Ashton's squad contains a number of ex-Celts, including manager Jody Banim, who played for Celtic in 2005 and again between 2009 and 2010. Also lining up for the Robins are Aaron Chalmers who played for Celtic between 2015 and 2017, and Sam Sheridan who came to Celtic for a short spell on loan from Altrincham.
Derbies rarely go with form as the last encounter between the two showed. During Celtic's Month from Hell when we were playing four or five games a week at the end of the 2017/18 season. Celtic had been beaten the day before in the Cheshire Senior cup away ta Nantwich and Ashton were destined for promotion, only for Celtic to pull of a remarkable 2-1 win, with Jake Charles and Matty Wolfenden cancelling out Lewis Bains opener, it was Celtic's only win in a run of ten games in two and a half weeks.
Going further back, in Celtic's last five visits to Hurst Cross, we have won four of them and lost once. In our last ten league encounters, Celtic have won six, lost one and drawn three.
