On Saturday, Celtic are away to Gainsborough Trinity. Trinity are currently fourteenth in the league, one place and one point behind Celtic. Kick off is at 3pm.
Trinity won their last match, their second win of the season, when they beat Whitby 6-0 in Whitby. Their previous win was on the opening day when they were also away, beating Warrington Rylands 3-0. Between the two games, they have had four draws and a defeat. Their only defeat of the season coming in their most recent home match, to Lancaster City, who beat them 2-0. They are yet to win at home in the league, though after drawing in the FA Cup away at Long Eaton United on Saturday, they required extra time on Tuesday night when it finished 1-1, eventually scoring three in extra time to go through
Half of Trinity’s goals this season came in the one away match at Whitby, with another three at Warrington. In their three home games this season, they have scored once. That home goal came from Andy Wright, who shares top scorer spot with Jack Dyche both on three goals. Trinity are scoring 1.5 goals per game overall, with 0.3 at home, failing to score twice at home. Defensively, they are one of the strongest teams in the league, with 0.8 goals per game conceded overall, one goal per game at home. They’ve kept one of their three clean sheets at home, and have conceded five all season.
Since 1988, we’ve visited the Northolme more than any other ground (except Bower Fold), with this being out thirtieth visit since then. The last meeting between the two teams in February was a 1-1 draw at Bower Fold, following up from a 1-0 away defeat earlier in the season. Our last win there was in 2020, when we won 3-1, with Scott Bakkor, Jon Ustabasi and Patrick Lacey all finding the net and never looked in trouble, despite Trinity’s eleven game unbeaten run at the time. In those thirty visits, we have won eight, including putting them out of the FA Trophy in 1999. We have lost ten and had twelve draws.
In Gainsborough’s last match, the 4-2 FA Cup Replay home win over Long Eaton United, Trinity lined up as:
1. Matt Yates
2. George Hornshaw
3. Joseph West
4. Isaac Rice
5. Dylan Cogill
6. Ethan Bojang
7. Andy Wright
8. Liam Waldock
9. Clayton Donaldson
10. Joe Wilson
11. Tom Cursons
In Celtic’s last match, the 1-1 (4-2) away win on penalties over Abbey Hey, Celtic lined up as:
1. Greg Hall
2. Ethan Padden
3. Louis Danquah
4. Moses Yoak
5. Dahrius Waldron
6. Godwin Abadaki
7. Theo Bailey-Jones
8. Harry Benns
9. Raul Correia
10. Domaine Rouse
11. Cameron Darkwah
Since the loss at South Shields, Celtic have played two other away matches, winning one and drawing the other. With both teams in the top five defences, it will probably be close affair.
Head up Mottram Road towards Mottram.
Join Mottram Road towards Hollingworth.
At the traffic lights with the A57 Woolly Lane towards Glossop, continue straight ahead towards Hollingworth and Tintwistle.
After the lights the road becomes the A628.
Stay on the A628 and it will become the Woodhead pass.
After about 14 miles, you will reach the Flouch roundabout.
Turn right (exit 3 of 4) to join the A616 (signposted M1).
After 9 miles you will reach another roundabout, go straight across (exit 3 of 5) to stay on the A616.
After 1 1/2 miles you will reach the M1.
Join the M1 going southbound towards London.
Stay on the M1 for 10 miles to junction 32 (M18, The North, Doncaster, Hull).
Join the M18 towards the North, and leave at Junction 1 (A631, Rotherham).
At the roundabout at the end of the slip road, turn right towards Bawtry onto the A631.
Stay on the A631 following signs for Bawtry.
There are a couple of doglegs, t-junctions and roundabouts, but just keep on the A631 for about 22 miles until you reach the set of traffic lights after the oil depot with a dual carriageway ahead and a railway bridge going over the top.
Turn left here onto the A159 (Trinity Street), signposted for Gainsborough.
You will pass a large Tesco on the right, about half a mile further, there is a Total Petrol Station on the left hand side of the road - the ground is on the opposite side.
Parking is street based and limited.