On Saturday, Celtic travel to Witton Albion. Witton are currently twenty-first in the league on twenty-seven points six places and eight points below Celtic, having played a game less than Celtic. Kick-off is 3pm.

Although Witton have been in the bottom three since the turn of the year, they have a vital game in hand and are just one win from going above Hyde after their recent 1-0 away win over Ashton. That was their first win since October, when they’d been on something of a recovery from an early season run of six games without a win. After being beaten 9-0 by Matlock, their fortunes improved and Witton went onto four wins in the next seven games. And then they came to our place, full of confidence and twice Celtic had to come from behind. Since then, their form dipped, picking up two points from two draws in their next eight matches. Witton need a win.

Only bottom placed Grantham have conceded more goals at home than Witton this season, however, their home attack is reasonable, placing fourth in the teams outside the top ten. On average they score 1.3 goals per home game and 1.2 overall, failing to score three of their six blank slates at home. Defensively, they concede 1.9 goals per home game and 2 goals per game overall, keeping three of their five clean sheets at home. Witton’s top scorer this season is Callum Saunders with fifteen, and he is third in the league leader board, just a brace away from joining the pair in joint top spot. Saunders has scored in eleven of Witton’s last seventeen matches, including getting both goals against us.

Our last meeting with Witton was earlier this season when we drew 2-2 at Bower Fold, with Justin Johnson getting both Celtic goals. We did get to visit in the first curtailed season, but not the second. Our last visit to Witton saw us win 1-0. In our last five league visits, we’ve won three and lost two. Admittedly, that spans a range from 1992 to 2019. Craig Hobson grabbed a second half winner in our last visit to Wincham Park. Whilst our previous visit saw Matty Wolfenden’s brace and a Liam Tongue’s free kick made amends for a dubious penalty.

Witton’s last match, the 1-0 away win over Ashton, saw Witton line up as:
1. Greg Hall
2. Joe Ferguson
3. Isaac Baldwin
4. Josh Wardle
5. Ben Pleavin
6. James Lawrie
7. Danny McKenna
8. James Foley
9. William Jones
10. Callum Saunders
11. Jesse Dowling

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-1 home draw with Gainsborough Trinity, Celtic lined up as:
1. Xander Parke
2. Matthew Liptrott
3. Ashley Smith-Brown
4. Sam Wedgbury
5. Connor O’Grady
6. Kennan Quansah
7. Callum Harris
8. Charley Doyle
9. Raul Correia
10. Ntumba Massanka
11. Justin Johnson

Liam Hughes missed the last match after testing positive for Covid, but is hopeful to play. Stephen Brogan was back for the Gainsborough game.

A win for Celtic could see us rise to twelfth, with Radcliffe, Atherton and Basford all within reach, and put us four points away from the mythical forty-two points mark. A loss for Celtic could see us fall a place, if Ashton beat Basford away.