On Tuesday, Celtic are in cup action when we host Barnton. Barnton are 15th in the Northwest Counties First division South, two leagues below Celtic on 30 points after 26 games. Kick-off is 7:45pm and tickets can be bought on the gate or online.

This season, Barnton have won eight, drawn six and lost 12. They are unbeaten in their last six matches, with two wins and four draws. Most recently, they drew 1-1 away against Wythenshaw Amateurs. Their last win was at home to Abbey Hulton United, when they won 5-2, whilst their last loss was at home to Alsager Town, which they lost 2-1. Away from home, Barnton have been quite solid, with only two losses on the road all season, both at the start of the season, when they lost 3-1 to Abbey Hulton United followed by a 6-0 demolition at the hands of West Didsbury and Chorlton. Barnton won their next six on the road, before drawing at the end of October to Stockport Town. This season, they have lost two on the road, drawn five and won eight.

Barnton’s top scorer this season is Jordan Monthe, who has eight of their 44 goals. They have kept four clean sheets, the last one against Ellesmere Rangers in November. Barnton have failed to score in four matches, three of them away.

We have played Barnton before, in April 2018 after they had been reinstated in the competition following their match against Stockport County in which Stockport fielded an ineligible player. Celtic won that match 6-1 after a first half equaliser from Connor Hughes then saw Celtic run rampant in the second half, with Jake Charles finding the net five times!

In Barnton’s last match, their 1-1 away draw at Wythenshaw, Barnton lined up as:
1. Arran Lyons
2. William Avon
3. Christopher Hunt
4. Jack Duffy
5. Chris Cordara-Soanes
6. Niall Holmes
7. Amir Hajri
8. Liam Kensington
9. Adam Collins
10. Thomas Edwards
11. Ross Avies

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-0 home defeat to Scarborough, 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

On paper, this should be a win for Celtic. As we have learned against lower-league sides, nothing can be taken for granted.