On Tuesday night Celtic host Radcliffe at Bower Fold. Radcliffe are currently ninth in the table on 39 points, six points and four places above Celtic, with a game in hand. Kick-off is 7:45pm, tickets are available on the gate or online.

In their last eight games, Radcliffe have won twice, beating FC United at Neuven Stadium in their opening game of 2023 and again, in their most recent match, beating Morpeth. Radcliffe have lost three on the road all season, most recently at Warrington Rylands. You have to go back five away matches to Warrington Town in October for their next away loss, with Stafford in September their other away loss. Most away games have seen draws for Radcliffe, drawing six, with four of their last seven away matches all draws. Drawing is something of a speciality of Radcliffe, especially on the road, where nobody has drawn more away matches than them with six draws from twelve games.

Luca Navarro is currently leading their league goal scorers’ chart, with seven goals, though former Celt Jude Oyibo is right behind him on five, having scored the most away from home with three. Though Radcliffe have scored in every home match, they have failed to score in four away matches. They scored their 35 goals, 14 of which were away, at a rate of 1.4 goals per game and 1.1 away from home. Defensively, they have conceded 15 of their 31 goals away from home at a rate of 1.2 goals per game and kept 3 of their 6 clean sheets on the road.

Since 2000, we’ve hosted Radcliffe four times competitively and they have won every league match. We have beaten Radcliffe in both the League and Manchester Cups, the Manchester Cup our only home competitive win over them, back in 2016 when we won 3-1, thanks to goals from Alex Johnson, Dale Wright, and Aidan Chippendale. Our last meeting was in October last year, when we lost 2-1 at Radcliffe, with Raul Correia’s stoppage time penalty a consolation. Radcliffe’s last visit was at the end of last season when they won 2-0.

In Radcliffe’s last match, the 1-0 home win over FC United, Radcliffe lined up as:
1. Tom Stewart
2. Michael Brewster
3. Connor O’Brien
4. Luke Joyce
5. Rick Smith
6. Olly Thornton
7. Matty Grivosti
8. Nick Adams
9. Joe Piggott
10. Luca Navarro
11. Jake Thompson

In Celtic’s last match, the 2-0 home win over Gainsborough, Celtic lined up as:
1. Greg Hall
2. Ciaran Summers
3. Raheem Hanley
4. Tom Miller
5. Dahrius Waldron
6. Domaine Rouse
7. Theo Bailey-Jones
8. Ethan Padden
9. Djavan Pedro
10. Chris Dagnall
11. Harry Benns

Only Stafford are within reach for Celtic to climb the table with a win, but with Stafford not playing, any win would put Celtic into twelfth on goal difference. And in a somewhat amazing turn around, bring seventh within reach. With none of Ashton, Lancaster and Atherton playing, a loss would not see Celtic drop any places, but would blow a great chance to move up the table.

Matty Carson, Raul Correia, Kyle Harrison and Nathan Caine all missed the Gainsborough match.