MATCH PREVIEW: History on our side, form favours Celtic

Reds start their FA Cup campaign on Saturday but do so nervously after a wretched start to the season. They host Stalybridge Celtic in the First Round Qualifying tie at Borough Park after failing to win any of their opening six matches.

Celtic, mid-table in NPL West, have made a decent start and are unbeaten in their three away trips to date. They have collected seven points in the league, two wins and a draw, with Witton Albion the only team to beat them.

But the two victories at Bury have been the stand-out performances, winning at Gigg Lane in the FA Cup and giving an encore a week later in the league.

This will be the fifth time we have been drawn against each other in the competition and whilst history is on our side, current form would certainly favour Jon Macken’s team.

Back in 1984, we were NPL and Celtic were North West Counties so our 1-0 defeat at Bower Fold was a giant-killing from their perspective. That was at the Fourth Qualifying Round stage.

We were drawn away again during the 2002-03 season but, on that occasion, Celtic were playing in the division above.

A 2-2 draw was the outcome in the first match, Glenn Murray netting twice for Reds with Colin Potts and Chris Denham levelling matters for Celtic. Workington won the replay 3-1, with Messrs Ennis, Goulding and Murray sharing the goals for us and Hallows on target for the visitors.

Another away draw, again at the Second Qualifying Round stage, in the 2005-06 season finished goalless but Reds won by the odd goal in three the following Tuesday in Cumbria. Craig Johnston missed a penalty that night but did score in open play.

Then, in 2007, we recorded one of our better recent results in the competition when we won 5-0 at Stalybridge in a Third Round Qualifier. Johnno did score from the spot that day but it was the goals from Dan Gullen that made the headlines. Matthew Berkeley also chipped in with a brace.

That was part of the run that took us to the First Round proper and, ironically, the game at Bury. No Reds fan needs reminding that we haven’t reached the ‘Holy Grail’ since.

It will be a pleasure to welcome Reuben Jerome back to west Cumbria after his three-season stint with us between 2021 and 2023. He scored 38 goals for Reds (28 league, 2 FAC, 1 FA Trophy and 7 Cumberland Cup) and netted regularly for Emley, Bury and Stalybridge Celtic since.

Brian Dawson will have to make at least one change to the starting XI for Saturday with Hayden Atkinson unable to play in the Cup as part of the loan arrangement with parent club, Carlisle United.

The likes of Tom Stephenson, Aran Fitzpatrick and Alfie McDonough could feature for the first time this season.

The FA prize fund rewards winners and losers again this season with £2,250 and £750 the respective amounts for this round.

Should Saturday’s game result in a draw, the replay will take place at Stalybridge on Tuesday 2 September (7.45pm).