On Easter Monday, Celtic make the short hop across Tameside to our closest neighbours, Hyde United. Hyde are currently nineteenth on forty-six points, four places and two points below Celtic and probably safe from finishing in the bottom two, being on the maximum that Witton can reach, but having a much better goal difference. Kick-off is 3pm.
Hyde have had a couple of stints in the bottom two, but pulled themselves out both times, most recently having a particularly good March that saw them win four and draw one whilst the one before saw them win three and draw two, finishing with a 1-1 draw with Celtic at Bower Fold. Their most recent home match was a 4-0 defeat by Bamber Bridge, but at home they’ve been doing all right recently, with two losses and three wins in their last five home matches. In total, they’ve had nine home wins, ten losses and a single draw.
Their top scorer is currently tied with both Tom Pratt and Liam Tongue both on eight goals, though right behind them are Liam Hardy and Bradley Roscoe, both on seven. Nine other players have chipped in with Hyde’s forty-eight goals this season, twenty-seven of which have come at home. Hyde have scored in most of their home matches, failing to score in four. Defensively, they have the fourth worst home defence in the league, behind Radcliffe, Witton and Grantham, shipping sixty-three goals, thirty-two of which were at home. They have kept four of their nine clean sheets at home. Their scoring/concession ratios are 1.4 goals scored per game at home, to 1.6 conceded; overall, this is 1.2 scored to 1.6 conceded.
Hyde came to Bower Fold on Boxing day, drawing 1-1 with a goal right before half time cancelled out by a Callum Harris effort midway through the second half. Our last visit to Hyde saw us win 2-1, in 2019 before the lockdowns, with Scott Bakkor and Jonathan Ustabasi getting first half goals. In the league, we have visited Ewen Fields eighteen times in the past thirty-five years. Celtic have won nine, Hyde six and there have been three draws.
Hyde’s last match, the 2-0 away defeat to Grantham, saw Hyde line up as:
1. James Chew
2. Harry Ditchfield
3. Ryan Grant
4. Callum Spooner
5. Jordan Fagbola
6. Bradley Roscoe
7. Tayt Trusty
8. Jack Sherratt
9. Harry Pratt
10. Lewis Earl
11. Tom Pratt
In Celtic’s last match, the 3-0 home win over Lancaster, Celtic lined up as:
1. Grant Shenton
2. Douglas Nyaupembe
3. Josh Edwards
4. Sam Wedgbury
5. Keenan Quansah
6. Shane Killock
7. Jake Burton
8. Charley Doyle
9. Conor Falls
10. Stephen Brogan
11. Justin Johnson
Celtic are now safe, but should be looking to finish as high up the table as possible, which is twelfth. A win over Hyde would make them unable to overtake us, and could lift us level on points with Ashton in twelfth. Ashton have a better goal difference by eight, but it would be nice to finish the highest out of the three Tameside teams, and this is possible. Ashton host FC United on Monday, whilst the other two teams we can overtake are Mickleover (away at Basford) and Nantwich (at home to Stafford). A loss could see us drop as low as twentieth, so we are not safe from a bottom three finish yet. Radcliffe and Atherton (who play each other at Radcliffe), Gainsborough (at home to Grantham) and Basford (home to Mickleover) are all capable of catching us.
Head down Mottram Road away from Bower Fold to the traffic lights at the t-junction with Acres Lane.
Turn left onto Acres Lane and follow it to the lights at the top of the hill near Morrisons.
Turn left onto Birch Lane, heading towards Hyde.
At the traffic lights with the Duke of Sussex pub on the left, go straight through.
At the next set of lights on Mottram Road, turn right.
Turn left onto Lumn Road at the next set of lights before reaching Morrisons, signposted for the leisure pool.
After approx.
200 yards you will come to a give-way sign, turn left onto Walker Lane, after approx.
50 yards you will see Hyde Leisure Pool on your left.
The entrance to Ewen Field is to the right hand side of the pool.