Stalybridge Celtic travel to the North East tonight (18 April) to face Marske United in their penultimate game of the season.

A crucial match for both sides, in the quest for survival, with Celtic currently sitting in the relegation zone and Marske just outside, two points ahead of their rivals.

Celtic need to turn around their form quickly if they are to survive, with only two games remaining in the league. Chris Willcock’s men are without a win in six previous outings and failure to win tonight would all but relegate them to the division below.

Marske are in slightly better form than their counterparts, winning two of their last five, and they should be confident going into this one having beaten Celtic 3-2 in the reverse fixture earlier this season, at Bower Fold.

One man Celtic will have to be wary of is forward Adam Boyes, who scored a brace in that reverse fixture last October and is in good form of late.

The games are coming thick and fast for Marske, with them having to play three games in five days this week, starting tonight. They face fellow strugglers Nantwich on Thursday and end the season with an away trip to Liversedge on Saturday.

As for Celtic, they only have the two games this week, including the game against Marske, and they finish the season with a home tie against Atherton Collieries, also on Saturday.

Should Celtic win tonight, they would move out of the drop zone and up to 18th in the table, one point ahead of opponents Marske, though Marske and Nantwich would both have a game in hand, which, if one of them were to win, Celtic would drop back down into the relegation zone, ahead of the final matchday on Saturday. Essentially, tonight is a must-win, should Celtic have any chance of survival.

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