On Monday, Celtic host Stockport County in the Conference North fixture. This match will be segregated, with away fans taking the Mottram end. The Cinnamon Tree restaurant been designated the social club for the away fans. Kick-off is 3pm. There are currently no plans for pitch inspection, but watch the website in case that changes.

Stockport County are currently just three places and four points above Celtic in eighth on thirty-one points but have now played four games more. Indeed, if Celtic were to make full use of their games in hand on those above us, we would overtake Stockport, Boston and Gainsborough, and be only three points behind Nuneaton! We have won the same number of games as Stockport, at eight, though they have drawn more matches, seven to our three. Over the last ten games, Stockport have won just two beating Bradford Park Avenue 2-0 at home in October, and Corby Town 4-0 away in December. During that period they've lost six matches, which has seen them fall down from fourth and the play-off spots to their current position.

Fourteen different players have scored for County this season, with Jake Kirby leading the pack on five. Away from home, they score an average of 1.3 goals per game, and concede 1.1 (1.2 and 1.3 overall). They have failed to score in four away matches (six overall) and kept four clean sheets (seven overall). With only three losses away from home, but five at home, and with only three wins at home and five away from home, Stockport are a better team away from home than they are at Edgeley Park.

We have quite a good record against Stockport County over the years. Earlier in the season we played at Edgeley Park and beat them 3-0, with goals from Jack Higgins, Ben McKenna and Adam Farrell, making up for last season when they beat us by the skin of their teeth 4-3, with a brace from Jamie Allen and another from Ben McKenna rendered unimportant by a late stoppage time winner from Nathan Woolfe. Stockport have never won at Bower Fold, with their last visit being last season, a game we won 3-2, Ben McKenna again scoring against Stockport, this time along with Aidan Chippendale and Paul Ennis. Hopefully, McKenna will be fit enough to play and make it four from four for his tally against the Hatters.

Stockport should have a full squad to choose from ahead of the game. Since we played them, there have been several personnel changes, most recently, bringing in Delial Brewster on loan, the young striker is from Everton and scored on his debut against Harrogate. They lost their last match 2-1 at home to Harrogate Town. In that match, they lined up as:
1. Andreas Arestidou
2. Dale Tonge
3. Gareth Roberts
4. Sean O'Hanlon
5. Chris Smalley
6. Wade Joyce
7. Glen Rule
8. Lewis Montrose
9. Karl Ledsham
10. Jonny Margetts
11. Delial Brewster

Celtic won their last match, 4-2 against Hednesford Town at home a couple of weeks ago. With Saturday's Boxing Day match against Curzon Ashton postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, the Celtic squad should be more rested than the opponents. It's also an extra few days to get a few players close to return back, such as Ben McKenna and Danny Wisdom, whilst players like Jack Higgins will be thankful for the additional respite. In our last match, Celtic lined up as:
1. Tony McMillan
2. Peter Wylie
3. Oliver Crowley
4. Matty Hughes
5. John Shaw
6. Aaron Chalmers
7. Danny Burns
8. Dale Wright
9. Adam Farrell
10. Steve Tames
11. Bohan Dixon

There is, weather permitting, a full program on Monday. With Celtic missing the weekend game, we have dropped one place, Gainsborough Trinity overtaking both us and Curzon. Bradford and Chorley are only a point behind, but Worcester would need a monumental win to overtake us on goal difference. Looking at the positive, we could overtake both Gainsborough and Curzon and get to within a point of tomorrow's visitors if we win.

Other matches:
AFC Fylde (40pts 4th) v Curzon Ashton (27pts 10th)
AFC Telford (16pts 22nd) v Gloucester City (20pts 21st)
Alfreton Town (23pts 15th) v Solihull Moors (43pts 1st)
Boston United (39pts 6th) v Gainsborough Trinity (30pts 9th)
Corby Town (21pts 19th) v Lowestoft Town (23pts 16th)
FC United of Manchester (21pts 18th) v Hednesford Town (22pts 17th)
Harrogate Town (40pts 5th) v Chorley (26pts 13th)
North Ferriby United (40pts 3rd) v Bradford Park Avenue (26pts 12th)
Nuneaton Town (42pts 2nd) v Tamworth (34pts 7th)
Worcester City (pts th) v Brackley Town (pts th)