On Saturday, Celtic travel across Manchester to Atherton Collieries. Kick off 3pm. Atherton have started this season with two wins and two losses, putting them mid-table. This match is pay on the gate.

Atherton opened the season with a tough home match against Scarborough, losing 2-0, however, they followed this with a 2-1 away win at Grantham. Their last home match was their last match, which they won 1-0, beating Ashton. The other match this season was a 2-0 away defeat to Warrington. They went out of the FA Cup against Celtic’s old FA Cup foes, Guiseley, losing 4-0.

In the season that never was, Atherton were in the bottom three after losing 5 of their last 6 matches. They did have 6 games in hand on Grantham and Buxton and were only 2 points behind Grantham, so they may have squeaked a great escape. Their final match, before the season halted was a win over Grantham.

Last season, they scored 25 goals at home from 36 in total, at a rate of 1.9 goals per game (1.4 overall) and scoring in every home match (failing to score 5 away) – something that ended with the visit of Scarborough this season. Their top scorer was Tom Bentham, with 10 who got just under a third of all their goals. Defensively, they conceded 26 goals at home from 49 in total, at a rate of 2 goals a game (1.9 overall) and keeping 2 clean sheets at home and one on the road.

We have visited Atherton twice in competitive football, losing both matches last season: 3-0 in the league and 4-1 in the league cup (Ross Dent with a consolation). Our other meeting was at Bower Fold, which we also lost, going down 2-1 with Scott Bakkor grabbing Celtic’s goal in the second half.

In Ahterton’s last match, the 1-0 home win over Ashton, they lined up as:
1. Danny Taberner
2. Clive Smith
3. Gaz Peet
4. Danny Lambert
5. Danny Lafferty
6. Rick Smith
7. Niall Battersby
8. Vinny Bailey
9. Dylan Glass
10. Ben Conway
11. Marcus Cusani

Celtic’s last match was the 4-0 home defeat to Buxton, in which Celtic lined up as:
1. Tom Stewart
2. Jordan Helliwell
3. Ben Woods
4. Scott Sephton
5. Tom Wilson
6. Stephen O’Halloran
7. Jonathon Ustabasi
8. Callum Harris
9. Lewis Salmon
10. Will Goodwin
11. Nico Evangelinos

Celtic have brought in James Ellison, a fullback from Marine, on loan to help shore up the injury crisis. He join’s Burnley’s Jordan Helliwell covering the fullback roles, with Freddie Sass still off injured and Kallum Mantack self-isolating. Mike Burke has also been self-isolating with cover in his position from loan-signing Will Goodwin from Chester. Scott Sephton had to receive treatment in the Buxton match after the side of his head fouled somebody’s elbow.