Celtic are in FA Trophy action on Saturday when South Shields are the visitors. South Shields are currently seventh in the league on nineteen points, eight points and ten places ahead of Celtic. Tickets are available online or on the gate.

South Shields were top until last week, when they drew 0-0 at home with Atherton Collieries and then lost 2-1 away at FC United of Manchester. That loss was their first of the season, with five wins and four draws leading up to it. Away from home, they have won two, drawn two and lost one, with their wins coming at Lancaster and Nantwich. Their run without a loss gives them the longest unbeaten run in the league this season, standing at nine games.

Although they have had nine different scorers, only Michael Woods has scored more than one goal this season, leading the other eight with four goals. On average, they scored their seven away goals at a rate of 1.4 goals per game, and 1.3 overall with a total of thirteen. South Shields have scored in every away game this season, failing to score in only one game, at home to Atherton. They have kept two clean sheets on the road from a total of five, conceding five away at a rate of a goal per game, and seven overall at a rate of 0.7 goals per game. They have the second best defence in the league, behind Gainsborough and the best home defence in the league.

Celtic have never beaten South Shields in eight attempts. Our last meeting was at their place at the start of this season when we lost 2-0. The last time they visited Bower Fold in 2021, they won 3-1, with Ioan Evans pulling one back for Celtic. Our only result against South Shields was in 2019, when we drew 2-2 at Bower Fold, with Darius Osei twice equalising.

In South Shield’s last match, the 2-1 away defeat by FC United, South Shields lined up as:
1. Miles Boney
2. Conor Newton
3. Blair Adams
4. Gary Liddle
5. Dillon Morse
6. Martin Smith
7. Dylan Mottley-Henry
8. Michael Woods
9. Lewis Alessandra
10. Robert Briggs
11. Mackenzie Heaney

In Celtic’s last match, the 2-1 away defeat at Radcliffe, Celtic lined up as:
1. Greg Hall
2. Ethan Padden
3. Ben Richardson
4. Raheem Hanley
5. Moses Yoak
6. Tom Miller
7. Matty Liptrott
8. Godwin Abadaki
9. Raul Correia
10. Domaine Rouse
11. Osebi Abadaki

Tinashe Chakwana, Kyle Harrison, Ciaran Summers and Harry Benns were all missing for the Radcliffe match though injury. On current form, South Shields have to be the favourites, but with the game going straight to penalties, there’s always a chance.