On Tuesday, Celtic’s second home game of the season sees Congleton Town the visitors. Congleton finished last season one point clear of relegation. Kick-off 7:45pm.

On the last day of last season, Congleton secured a home win over already relegated Trafford, whilst their relegation rivals, Sporting Khalsa, were away at Witton. Khalsa lost, Congleton won, and that saw the two clubs switch places, Congleton safe, Khalsa relegated after only one season. Congleton finished last season with the sixth worst defence, conceding seventy-two goals at a rate of 1.7 goals per game (2.3 away). They had a reasonable scoring record, and found the net sixty times at a rate of 1.4 goals per game (1.3 away). They kept 3 of their 12 clean sheets on the road, and failed to score nine times, with four of those away from home. Seventeen of their goals came from one player, Max McCarthy.

This season, they’ve had a 1-1 draw at home to Vauxhall Motors, coming back from a goal down to grab a point.

Over the past forty years, we’ve met only four times in the league. Last season, Celtic won home and away, scoring seven over the two matches while conceding three, with goals at home from Jordan Butterworth, Benni Smales-Braithwaite and Max Leonard, and the win in Congleton seeing a brace from Ruben Jerome and one a piece from Liam Tongue and Andy Scarisbrick. The season before, Congleton won both matches, beating us 2-0 here.

In Congleton’s only league match this season, the Bears lined up as:
1. Dave Parton
2. Marco Fragopane
3. Matty Liptrott
4. Peter Williams
5. Jack Bates
6. Julius Ndene
7. Kieran Knapper
8. Shakeel Jones-Griffith
9. Rob Stevenson
10. Joe Woolley
11. Danny Needham

In Celtic’s last match, the 1-1 home draw with Hanley Town, Celtic lined up as: 1. Charlie Monks
2. Charlie Doyle
3. Kyle Brownhill
4. Josh Granite
5. Jack Byrne
6. Cam Fogerty
7. Andy Scarisbrick
8. Liam Tongue
9. Ruben Jerome
10. Jack Irlam
11. Ellis Horan

Celtic need to get their home league campaign underway, but will need to be at their best to beat a much strengthened Congleton team.