On Saturday, Celtic travel to an in-form FC United of Manchester. FC United are currently eighth on 37 points, seven points and seven places above Celtic, although we have a game in hand on Saturday's opponents. Kick-off is 3pm at Broadhurst Park.
When the two teams faced each-other earlier in the season, Celtic were 5-2 winners at Bower Fold after FC United had started the season without an away win.
Since the start of December their away form has improved, with two wins and two draws, whilst their home form continues to be impressive, seeing them win both games that they have played since December. Throughout the whole season they have only lost three home games. Their last home defeat saw Grantham beat them 1-0 in mid-October, coming on the back of a defeat at home to Nantwich.
FC United have had 19 different scorers this season, with Bradley Holmes just edging the goal-scorer chart on five goals, though Joseph Duckworth’s three in the last four games have brought him to four goals. On average, they score 2.2 goals per home game (1.7 overall), with four games seeing them score three, one with four goals scored and they beat Scarborough 6-0.
They’ve failed to score twice at home which resulted in two defeats. FC United have kept five clean sheets at home (seven in total), their last coming in a 2-0 win over Mickleover in November. They have the fifth best attack in the lead with 40 goals this season, with their defence conceding the same number as Celtic, on 33.
We have played FC United this season, beating them 5-2 at Bower Fold when Marcus Dackers stamped his authority on the game with two goals, whilst Jay Fitzmartin, Justin Johnson and Sam Wedgbury all waded in with goals of their own.
We didn’t play them at all in the last curtailed season, but did play them before Covid hit the 19/20 season, when they won 3-2 at Bower Fold after a last gasp winner from Paul Ennis.
Our last visit to Broadhurst Park was in 2017, when we drew 2-2. Although we’ve only visited four times in competitive matches since FC United’s formation, We’ve won one and drawn one league match and won one and drawn one cup match. We’ve never lost a competitive match at their stadium, though the FA Cup in 2009 required two second half goals from Joe O’Neill (FC United went on to win the replay at Bower Fold).
FC United’s last match was a goalless draw away at Bamber Bridge, in which FC United lined up as:
1. Dan Lavercombe
2. Andy Halls
3. Adam Dodd
4. Jonathan Smith
5. Aaron Morris
6. Curtis Jones
7. Alistair Waddecar
8. Luke Griffiths
9. Regan Linney
10. Harry Wilson
11. Michael Donohue
In Celtic’s last league match, the 1-0 home defeat to Scarborough (some players were rested in the Cheshire senior cup 4-1 home win over Barnton), Celtic lined up as:
1. Liam Hughes
2. Keenan Quansah
3. Ashley Smith-Brown
4. Sam Wedgbury
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Shane Killock
7. Scott Bakkor
8. Charley Doyle
9. Raul Correia
10. Ntumba Massanka
11. Justin Johnson
One highlight from the Barnton match saw Matthew Liptrott excel at fullback, hopefully easing the worry of Stephen Brogan’s thigh strain. A win for Celtic could lift us two places, with Basford and Radcliffe both within reach. Morpeth are also reachable, with a win by three goals. A loss could see us drop two places, with both Gainsborough and Hyde within three points of us. Celtic do have two games in hand over Radcliffe and three over Basford.
Leave the M60 at junction 22.
At the end of the slip-road, go straight on to Hollingwood Avenue (A6104).
At the Greengate roundabout take the first exit onto Lightbowne Road (B6393).
After half a mile, Broadhurst Park is on your left.