On Tuesday, Celtic are back on their travels with a trip to the capital of Lancashire when we face Lancaster. Lancaster are coming into the game off the back of a thumping 7-2 win away at Grantham, pushing them up to third.
Having spent much of the initial curtailed season in second place, as the curtain was prematurely drawn on the 19/20 season, Lancaster had begun to tail off, picking up two points in home draws to Nantwich and Witton in their final five games, leaving them just clinging onto fifth spot. Draws were the majority result last season in their seven games, they won two, lost one and drew four. They did score in every match, but they also conceded in them all. Their most recent home win was a 2-1 comeback over Warrington in October. This season started badly, with Whitby scoring the only goal of the game in Lancaster’s opener at the Giant Axe. On the road, they have fared much better, beating Witton 3-2 at Witton, with a winner in the last five minutes. Their most recent match was a 7-2 demolition of Grantham in Grantham, with Carlisle loanee, Sam Fishburn, netting a hat-trick to add to his brace at Witton, putting him on 5 goals for the season, and making him the current front runner in the League Golden Boot
We didn’t manage to play Lancaster last season, but we did play both our games against them in the season before, both finishing in draws, goalless at their place and one apiece at ours with Charley Doyle putting us ahead only for a strong finish from the visitors seeing Tom Kilifin equalise. Going further back, we’ve been to Lancaster eleven times in the last 25 years, winning three, losing five and drawing five. Our most recent win there was in 2006 when both teams were in the Conference North, Mark Hume scoring the only goal.
In Lancaster’s last match, the 7-2 away win over Grantham, Lancaster lined up as:
1. Matthew Alexander
2. Sam Bailey
3. Liam Brockbank
4. Lewis Fensome
5. Andrew Teague
6. Glenn Steel
7. Paul Dawson
8. Simon Wills
9. Sam Fishburn
10. Rhys Turner
11. Christian Sloan
Celtic’s last match was the 2-0 home win over Morpeth, in which we lined up as:
1. Grant Shenton
2. Ashley Smith-Brown
3. Stephen Brogan
4. Ioan Evans
5. Kennan Quansah
6. Stephen O’Halloran
7. Charley Doyle
8. Sam Wedgebury
9. Jack Ryan
10. Scott Bakkor
11. Callum Harris
Both teams are coming in off the back of good wins, with Lancaster probably favourites, being at home and beating Grantham so convincingly.
From the M60 Junction 1 (Stockport) head clockwise towards Preston.
Turn off at Junction 15 onto the M61 towards Preston.
Stay on the M61 to the end, where it joins the M6 (North - signposted The Lakes).
Stay on the M6 for about 20 miles to Junction 33 (Lancaster South).
At the roundabout at the end of the slip-road, turn right (exit 2 of 3) onto the A6.
Stay on the A6 for about 4 miles, and you will reach a roundabout.
Go straight across (exit 3 of 5) to stay on the A6.
After 1/2 a mile, you will reach a set of lights with Waterstones on the left.
Turn left here onto Market Street (which becomes Meeting House Lane).
After a couple of hundred yards you will cross a railway line.
Take the next right onto Station Road.
At the t-junction, turn right onto West Road.
The ground (and car-park) is on the right through some railings.