On Saturday, Celtic make the short trip to Ashton United. Ashton are currently twelfth in the league on seventeen points, six points and six places above Celtic with a game in hand. Kick off 3pm.
Ashton’s last three games have all been losses, losing 2-0 away at Atherton between losing 1-0 at home to Matlock and, most recently, 1-0 away at Whitby. Their other two losses this season have both been on the road, 3-1 at Morpeth and 2-1 at Marske, meaning their only home losses were their last two, although they have also had two home draws, both 1-1 to South Shields and Marine. Their last home win was at the end of August when they beat Warrington Town 2-1. Their most recent game in the Manchester Premier Cup saw them beat Ashton Curzon 5-4 on penalties after the game drew 1-1 at full time. Like ourselves, Ashton went out of the Trophy last weekend, losing 3-1 at home to Dunstan on penalties after it finished goalless.
Although Ashton have had ten different scorers, only Callum Saunders has scored more than once, with six goals to his name giving them fifteen goals in total (seven at home) scored at a rate of 1.2 goals per game whilst failing to score twice at home (both resulting in losses) from three overall. They have conceded in every home game this season, keeping three clean sheets on the road and conceding at a rate of 1.1 goals per game (1 per home game).
In the past thirty years we have visited Hurst Cross nine times, losing 2-1 in our last visit their at the end of last season. Ashton’s only other win over us at their own place was in 2003 when they won 2-1 with Connor O’Grady’s first half goal overturned in the second half. Other than that Celtic have won six times, including two wins in the President’s cup, once in the Conference North and once in the League Cup. Our last league win over them was at Bower Fold at the start of last season with a last minute Scott Bakkor penalty, whilst our last win in the league in Hurst Cross before the Pandemic in 2019, when we won 2-0 with goals in either half from Scott Bakkor and Craig Hobson.
In Ashton’s last league match, the 1-0 home loss to Whitby, Ashton lined up as:
1. Greg Hartley
2. James Baillie
3. Cole Lonsdale
4. Samuel Baird
5. Matty Regan
6. Harry Coates
7. Sam Sheridan
8. Michael Brewster
9. Mike Phenix
10. Callum Saunders
11. Joe Robbins
In Celtic’s last match, the 3-2 home defeat to Marske, Celtic lined up as:
1. Greg Hall
2. Tom Miller
3. Ciaran Summers
4. Moses Yoak
5. Dahrius Waldron
6. Godwin Abadaki
7. Theo Bailey-Jones
8. Harry Benns
9. Raul Correia
10. Domaine Rouse
11. Osebi Abadaki
Tinashe Chakwana, Kyle Harrison and Raheem Hanley were all missing for the Marske match though injury.
From Mottram Road, heading downhill away from Bower Fold, follow the road down and around (it will become Stamford Street).
At the lights with Wakefield Road (just over the railway bridge) stay on Stamford Street by bearing left.
At the next set of lights (a BP garage will be on your left) turn right onto Darnton Road.
The road curves around to the left.
Stamford Park will be on the left and right, and Tameside Hospital is on the right.
Just past Tameside hospital there is a set of traffic lights with a five way junction with Mosley Road and Queens Road.
Go straight ahead and to the right onto Queens Road (going clockwise this is road three of five).
After 400 yards, you will reach a set of traffic lights with an upside down church on your right, and the New Inn on your left.
Go straight through these lights.
Continue up Queens road (for 1/4 of a mile) past the Co-op on your right.
Just beyond the Co-op there is a set of traffic lights at Hurst Cross.
The ground is just here on the left just behind the library.
Parking is difficult, most people park just beyond the lights opposite the Texaco garage.