On Celtic travel across Cheshire to Witton Albion. Witton are currently thirteenth on fifty points, nine points and six places below Celtic. Kick off 3pm.

Witton are mathematically safe from relegation, but also mathematically unable to reach the play offs. During December and January they had six wins on the bounce, which put them into a good position, despite coming out of a spell of seven games without a win, losing six and drawing one. Since February they have lost six, drawn two and won three, seeing them slide into mid-table, but they have done enough to fight again next year. Their home form has been better than away, with eight wins, three draws and seven losses, taking more points than they dropped. Their last home game saw them get a great 1-0 asway win over Widnes, whilst their last home game saw them lose 1-0 to Avro. Their last home win was a 1-0 over Wythenshawe at the end of February and they have lost three of their last five home games, the other a 2-2 draw with Hanley.

Witton have had twenty-three different scorers this season, with James Hooper leading the pack with six, so former Albion player, Joe Duckworth, is no longer top. Six teams shave scored fewer than Witton’s forty-nine goals, whilst five have scored fewer home goals, than Witton's twenty-seven. Five teams have conceded fewer than Witton’s twenty-one home goals, giving them a top six home defence, with a top eight overall defence. On average they score 1.5 goals per home game (1.3 overall), whilst conceding 1.2 goals per home game (1.4 overall), keeping four of their eight clean sheets at home, and failing to score five times at home and eleven overall. Midway through the second half is their danger period, with thirteen of their forty-nine goals scored here, whilst with seventeen of their conceded fifty-three goals, the fifteen minutes after the restart are their weakest.

We played Witton earlier in the season, winning 3-0 thanks to goals from Jack Irlam, Max Leonard and Lewis Rawsthorn. Our last visit to Witton saw us lose 3-0 last season, having beaten them 4-0 at home. Our last win at Witton was in 2022, when we won 2-0, Justin Johnson and Stephen Brogan with the goals. Over the last thirty years, we’ve visited twenty-times, in the Conference, Northern Premier and now First division West, with friendlies, FA Cup and Trophy matches and, of course, the Cheshire Senior Cup. We’ve won five, Witton have won nine and there have been six draws. Three of our five wins there have been in our last five matches, though we’ve lost and drawn our last two visits.

In Witton’s last match, the 1-0 away win over Widnes, Albion lined up as:
1. Louie Fallon
2. James Baillie
3. Damola Sotona
4. Joel Bembo-Leta
5. Joel Bailey
6. Alfie Henderson
7. Adam Watson
8. Isaac Graham
9. Mike Koral
10. James Lawrie
11. James Hooper

In Celtic’s last match the 2-1 home win over Chasetown, Celtic lined up as:
1. Charlie Monks
2. Jordan Butterworth
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Charlie Doyle
5. Sean Tse
6. Jack Tinning
7. Jack Irlam
8. Liam Tongue
9. Lewis Rawsthorn
10. Joe Duckworth
11. Max Leonard

Five points separate Celtic and Chasetown (at home to Wythenshawe) in the play-off spot, six away from Hednesford (away at Wythenshawe Town). A win would reduce that to two and three, with four games to go. It’s a big ask, but it’s not impossible. Avro (away at Nantwich) are also ahead of us, by one point, whilst Runcorn (at home to Clitheroe) and Trafford (at home to Kidsgrove) are within three points of Celtic if we slip up. A win could see us sixth, a loss could see us ninth.