News from Deva Stadium August 2014

28 August 2014
DUO SIGN
Chester have signed 21-year-old goalkeeper Connor Roberts. The Welsh U21 player was released by Cheltenham Town in May and has been training with Chester over the last month following a trial at his home-town club Wrexham. His career began at Tranmere Rovers prior to moving to Everton for a year in 2011 before moving to Cheltenham

Manager Steve Burr has also signed Burnley forward Jadan Hall on a one month loan deal. The 20-year-old scored against Chester in the pre-season friendly with the Clarets.

27 August 2014
HALL DEPARTS

Goalkeeper Freddy Hall has left Chester after failing to agree terms with the club. The 29-year-old Bermudian ‘keeper signed on non-contract terms after impressing pre-season and made four appearances for Chester and became a popular figure in his short time while he hoped to gain a contract. The club offered terms but weren’t expecting him to agree them.

Hall said: “I’m kind of gutted but I’ve just got to move forward and keep going. I sort of wasn’t surprised at how things turned out but I wish the club nothing but success in the future. I definitely want to find another club in England and I just want to wish the team and the fans well. I want to thank them for their support and for giving me the experience.”

The departure of Hall comes a week after John Danby left leaving the club with just one registered goalkeeper, Jon Worsnop.

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

26 August 2014
BLUES FIGHTBACK EARNS POINT
Chester scored twice in the final ten minutes to gain a point from Kidderminster Harriers yesterday. Roared by an away following of 397 Chester fell two goals behind in the opening eight minutes as Callum Gittings and Chey Dunkley took advantage of some poor defending. Dunkley turned hero to villain minutes after the restart as he was shown a straight red card for handball in the area however Chris Iwelumo's weak penalty kick was comfortably saved by Danny Lewis in the home goal.

Both sides made substitutions with Steve Burrr bringing on Peter Winn and Wayne Riley as the Blues looked to make the extra man count. Ten minutes from time Craig Hobson rose to head home a deep Danny Taylor cross and three minutes later Riley pounced to head home after Gareth Roberts had seen an effort bounce back off the bar. There was still time for both Riley and Sean McConville to flash efforts wide as Chester searched in vain for an unlikely winner.

• League table after Kidderminster game

21 August 2014
DANBY DEPARTS CHESTER

Goalkeeper John Danby has left Chester after agreeing to terminate his contract with the club. Danby was placed on the transfer list in May but the club received no firm offer for him, his departure comes after several weeks of talks with the board. Danby holds the club record of consecutive number of appearances, standing at 128. He also holds the record of the number of successive clean sheets for eight first team fixtures in succession for Chester FC in 2011 – running to a remarkable 781 minutes.

Dandy made 133 appearances for Chester City after signing from Kidderminster Harriers in May 2006. When the old club folded he joined Eastwood Town but rejoined Chester in June 2011 and went on to make another 114+1 appearances for the club.

Chairman Tony Durkin said: “During his time with us he was key in helping us secure the successes we have enjoyed to date, whilst winning the coveted Non-League Keeper of the Year award along the way. We genuinely wish John well both in his future football career and in his personal trainer business.”

• Clean sheets record

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

18 August 2014
BURR DELIGHTED WITH FIGHTBACK
Chester picked up their first win of the season on Saturday when two second half goals from Sean McConville and a third from Chris Iwelumo saw the Blues fightback to win 3-1 at Braintree Town. Chester had fallen behind midway through the opening period after a John Disney handball had gifted the home side a penalty which they duly converted. Manager Steve Burr said: “I wasn’t too happy about the way we started the match. I thought we were a bit sloppy and we were a bit slow to react. One or two things were said at half time, but I told the players after the game that it wasn’t my reaction at half time that counts - it's their reaction, and I was pleased to see them putting in a really good second half performance.”

“Braintree is a very difficult place to come and win, but the pleasing thing was that we're now up and running after a difficult game in midweek at Forest Green. I think we showed a lot of good signs at Braintree that we will be okay this season, but we have to be at full tilt all the time because we can’t carry anybody.”

Chester are next in action on Saturday with the visit from early league leaders FC Halifax Town. Both Kingsley James and John Rooney are doubts for the clash through injury though Michael Kay looks set to be available for the first time this season.

• League table after Braintree game

15 August 2014
DEFENDER SIGNS FROM STOKE
Chester have signed 20-year-old centre half Ben Heneghan from Stoke City. Heneghan started his career with the Everton Academy.

13 August 2014
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE FROM BLUES
Chester were beaten 2-1 at Forest Green Rovers on Tuesday night but made a much improved performance from Saturday. Manager Steve Burr gave a debut to goalkeeper Freddy Hall and Sean McConville replaced the suspended Danny Harrison. It took the home side just ten minutes to take the lead as Clovis Kamdjo slid the ball past Hall from close range. The Blues, backed by a following of around 300 got more into the game as the half wore on with Kingsley James shooting wide from long distance.

Chester began the second half the better side but were struck on the break ten minutes after the restart as Jon Parkin found the net. The Blues continued to pass the ball round well and press and pulled a goal back 12 minutes from time as Peter Winn smashed the ball home as the home side failed to clear a cross. Chester pushed for an equaliser as the game entered the final minutes but the home side were content to hold onto possession as the game ran its course.

• League table after Forest Green game

11 August 2014
OPENING DAY DEFEAT FOR BLUES
Chester suffered a heavy 5-0 home defeat at the hands of Barnet on Saturday as the new season got under way. Chester were already a goal down after four minutes with Andy Yiadom firing past Jon Worsnop before midfielder Danny Harrison was sent-off for a high challenge on Sam Togwell after 15 minutes.

The Bees soon took advantage of the extra man and doubled their lead through Lee Cook five minutes after the red card. Charlie MacDonald added a third from the penalty spot after half an hour as Worsnop fouled John Akinde. On the stroke of half-time the Blues were given a lifeline as referee Steven Ruston awarded them a penalty following a handball but John Rooney saw his weak spot-kick saved by Graham Stack in the Barnet goal. Two more goals shortly after the restart added to Chester’s woes who had no answer for Barnet’s pace.

Manager Steve Burr said: “We will take responsibility when you lose a game like that. Obviously I’m very disappointed with the result. I think everything that could go wrong for us in 45 minutes of a football match, did go wrong. The sending off has obviously had a bearing but we were very sloppy with certain goals we conceded, which is not good enough.”

Chester are back in action on Tuesday night with a trip to Forest Green Rovers who opened the season on Saturday with a 1-0 victory at Southport.

• League table after Barnet game

8 August 2014
BLUES SIGN HALL
Chester have signed goalkeeper Freddy Hall after he impressed during the pre-season friendlies. 29-year-old Hall was at Burton Albion last season though he didn’t play in the league for them, he has seven full caps for Bermuda.

6 August 2014
TEAM PICTURE

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

The club held their press day yesterday and here is the official team picture with staff.

Players Back: Danny Taylor, Michael Kay, Chris Iwelumo, Matty Brown, Craig Hobson, Tom Peers, Liam Blake.
Players Middle: Kingsley James, John Disney, Danny Harrison, John Danby, Freddy Hall, Jon Worsnop, Kieran Charnock, Peter Winn.
Players Front: Jamie Menagh, Wayne Riley, Craig Mahon, Steve Burr (manager), Jon McCarthy (first team coach), John Rooney, Sean McConville, Gareth Roberts.

• Player pictures

4 August 2014
SEASON TICKETS
Those supporters who have ordered season tickets for the coming season will be able to pick them up from the ground from 10.00hrs on Tuesday 5 August. Please take along ID with proof of address when you collect your tickets.

BLUES WIN AT STAFFORD RANGERS
Chester’s pre-season continued with a 3-1 victory at Stafford Rangers on Saturday. Chester had fallen behind in the eighth minute as Dan Cope scored past Jon Worsnop but goals from Craig Hobson, Kingsley James and Peter Winn saw Chester equalise before the break and slowly take control of the game in the second period.

Chester: Worsnop (Danby 58), Disney, Roberts, Brown (Taylor 45), Charnock, James (Blake 63), Harrison (Peers 79), Mahon (Winn 45), Rooney (Fortnam-Tomlinson 79), Menagh (Riley 45), Hobson (McConville 45).

1 August 2014
BURR PLEASED WITH TRANMERE DRAW
Manager Steve Burr was happy having seen his side battle to a 1-1 draw with League Two side Tranmere Rovers in the latest pre-season match. A crowd of just over 1,500 saw the Blues make a slow start falling behind to an Elliot Richards goal on 14 minutes but came more into the game as the half wore on. Antoine Boland deflected a Craig Mahon past his own keeper to give Chester their equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Perhaps the best chance of the second period fell to the Blues two minutes from time but Sean McConville pulled his shot wide with just Viscosci in the visitors’ goal to beat.

After the match Chester manager Steve Burr said: “I thought it was a good game, I said to the lads at the end of the game that had that been a league match we'd have come off disappointed because I thought with the number of chances we created we'd have been a bit disappointed that we didn't win the game.”

Chester: Worsnop, Taylor, Roberts, Kay (Charnock 45), Brown, Rooney, James (Dixon 76), McConville, Mahon (Blake 76), Menagh, Hobson (Riley 76). Subs not used: Hall, Peers, Disney, Miller, Rea.

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