National League North
Attendance: 1,804 Half Time: 2-0
Booked: Woodthorpe.

Chester: Harrison, Hunter, Rawlinson (Pollock 45), Burke, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Glendon (Hancox 86), Weeks, Caton (Murray 78), Willoughby, Peers. Subs not used: Williams, Roberts.
Peterborough Sports: Crook, Putman, Fryatt, Lawlor (Tootle 58), Sembie-Ferris, Jones (Alban-Jones 58), Jarvis, Felix (Goodman 58), Gallagher, Kamson-Kaamara, Gash. Subs not used: Van Lier, Gyasi.
Referee: Shaun Taylor.

The Turbines had recruited well during the summer months including welcoming Dion Sembie-Ferris back from Scunthorpe to his home town. Joint player manager Michael Gash appeared to have moved from the forward line to the heart of defence as the teams lined up.

Chester have found Peterborough Sports a tough nut to crack in recent years and so it promised to continue as this match began. The visitors dominated possession and were hard to shrug off the ball, winning throws and corners from which to launch aerial assaults into Chester’s penalty area. After ten minutes they won a free kick on the corner of the box as Woodthorpe was cautioned for a challenge on Felix. Manchester U-19 debutant Elyh Harrison had to be alert to flick the dangerous cross away for a corner.

It looked like being a tough afternoon for City but on twenty minutes the game turned on another piece of skilful play by Willoughby. He came back deep into Chester’s half to pick up the ball and following a quick turn picked out a sublime through ball for Caton. Charlie made it five goals in four games as he stroked the ball past the onrushing Sports keeper Crook.

Within five minutes City had doubled their lead when Weeks threaded the ball through to Willoughby on the right. His driven cross was met at the far post by Burke who tucked it home for goal number two. It nearly became three a minute later when Woodthorpe got behind the defence and pulled the ball back for Caton. His first time effort was deflected over the bar by Gash.

The Turbines strove to respond and came closest to clawing a goal back before half time when Jarvis’s cross from the left was flicked narrowly wide of Harrison’s far post. City held firm until the break with Rawlinson marshalling the defence well and Bainbridge providing excellent cover in front of the back four which enabled Weeks and Glendon space to attack more freely. On the stroke of half-time, Peers had a clear run on goal but couldn’t quite manage to convert the chance when Fryatt cleared off the line after Peers had beaten Crook.

Rawlinson was replaced, presumably because of injury, at the break and Pollock came on in his stead. Any nerves at the change City fans might have had were allayed as the half progressed as the former Spennymoor favourite fitted in as an assured presence at the back. Turbines though began to wind up their attacking efforts to get back in the game. Gallagher’s spin and venomous shot was superbly tipped over by Harrison.

The Blues weathered this storm and, with twenty minutes to go effectively finished the game off. Peers was put through by Weeks and the Chester forward beat Crook at his near post from the right to wrap up the points. Weeks almost capped a superb performance by adding a fourth in the next minute but Crook foiled him. Murray did have the ball in the net with his first touch after replacing Glendon but was ruled offside.

These minor disappointments did little to dim the supporters’ delight at a convincing Chester performance which raised them to eighth in the table.

National League North
Attendance: 2,321 (161 Scarborough) Half Time: 2-1
Booked: Hunter.

Chester: Mason, Hunter (Roberts 71), Rawlinson, Burke, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Murray (Glendon 51), Weeks, Caton, Willoughby, Peers. Subs not used: Brown, Hancox, Rosenblatt.
Scarborough Athletic: Whitley, Weledji, Gooda, Glynn (Maloney 59), Purver, Green, Colville (Wilson 75), Wiles (Mulhern 70), Don Tear, Brown, Bennett. Subs not used: Bancroft, McGiny.
Referee: Jake Allsopp.

City made the shakiest of starts as they took on the Seadogs but finished in spectacular style as Kurt Willoughby’s sensational stoppage time goal bagged all three points for the Blues.

A long punt forward in the fifth minute was misjudged by an isolated Hunter allowing Tear to nip in and cleverly lob the ball over a stranded Mason to open the scoring. It was Tear’s fifth goal of the season following his hat trick on the opening day of the season and Scarborough’s bright start which had seen them rise to second in the early table.

Chester responded well however. Peers went to ground as he tried to break through but the referee ignored appeals for a free kick. Scarborough struggled to clear their lines and Weeks nipped in to dispossess Glynn and tee up Caton for this third goal in as many games as he crashed the ball into the top corner. Ten minutes later Caton added another finishing after Willoughby’s long throw from the left had been flicked on by Burke and fell to him after Weeks’ initial effort.

Blues were able to enjoy a fair level of control for the rest of the half as the game settled down after its explosive start. Burke strode forward with the ball and put Caton through again but Whitley foiled his hat trick opportunity. Willoughby volleyed Hunter’s cross accurately but tamely and Whitley gathered. Murray was proving a constant nuisance to the Seadogs and was fouled three times in as many minutes but the visiting players escaped without punishment. Mason had to be alert to save a direct free kick from Green at the foot of the post but apart from that the visitors’ threat was minimal.

After the break City probed for a third goal. Peers was inches away from converting Hunter’s driven cross after a flowing move. But the Seadogs were motivated for an equaliser, switching former Blue Alex Brown to his customary left back and changing shape. City also began to struggle after Mason was injured following a clash with Green and the influential Murray had to go off injured to be replaced by Glendon. Weledji at right back misdirected a header when well placed following a free kick. The visitors sensed their chance had come when they were awarded a free kick midway in Chester’s half. Brown launched it into the box, Weledji hooked it back across goal and substitute Mulhern bundled in an equaliser.

The game became end to end as both sides searched for a winner. Willoughby glanced a corner wide. Then Caton, as he was announced as man of the match, blasted Peers’ chest pass narrowly wide. Keeper Whitley’s kicks from goal posed a direct threat on Chester’s goal as Mason continued to struggle. Mulhern latched on to one of them and tried to chip Chester’s custodian but Mason grabbed it with one arm, standing on one leg and fell to the ground for further treatment.

Both sides took advantage of a time-out. Whatever Calum McIntyre said to his players seemed to work. As the game entered the second of four stoppage minutes, Bainbridge, as he had done so often, wrested the ball from Scarborough in midfield. Caton flicked it across to Glendon who just managed to nick it past Weledji and into the path of Willoughby. King Kurt clipped it first time into the top corner from twenty yards out to cue scenes of delirious delight around the Deva. Seadogs sank to their knees knowing that the game was up and City held firm to come through their last ditch assaults on goal.

Willoughby’s outstanding finish turned a handy point into a most welcome three.

Picture © Rick Matthews

National League North
Attendance: 682 Half Time: 1-1
Booked: Woodthorpe, Weeks, Roberts.

Alfreton Town: Willis, Clackstone, Hunt, Lund, Anson, Whitehouse, Cantrill, Waldock (Perritt 76), Moyo, Fewster, Newall. Subs not used: Wiley, Day, Abbey, Salam.
Chester: Mason, Hunter (Roberts 77), Rawlinson, Burke, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Glendon (Murray 64), Weeks, Caton, Willoughby, Peers. Subs not used: Brown, Hancox, Rosenblatt.
Referee: D.Jones.

Kurt Willoughby and Charlie Caton with the goals as Chester come away from Alfreton with a point.

City were boosted before a ball was kicked by the prospect of Declan Weeks’ return after suspension. The punishment related to an incident at Hereford in February and seemed to catch all unawares as the sanction was delivered just before the season started.

Within a couple of minutes Weeks crashed Woodthorpe’s cross from the left into the roof of the net and Chester’s season had lift off. Radcliffe had presumably won the toss and made Chester kick towards the Harry Mac Terrace for the first half. If so, it was a plan which backfired massively as a result of the early goal.

Chester moved the ball around crisply and looked lively going forward with Turner starting on the left and Charlie Caton back to his gazelle-like best in the middle. Caton cut past a couple of defenders as if they weren’t there before he was hauled down by Wardle on the edge of the area. The Radcliffe man escaped with a mere yellow card.

Weeks led a co-ordinated press to put Boro’s defence under pressure as they tried to play out from the back. A rattled Wardle shanked the ball out for a throw. Weeks tapped the ball back to Hunter whose first time cross was met magnificently by Caton and headed superbly into the top corner for Chester’s second. It was a goal of simple beauty. Chester and the Deva crowd were now rampant.

Bainbridge, Glendon and Weeks formed great combinations in the middle of the park and contributed to Chester’s dominance but Radcliffe had a bit of a spell before the break with former Blue Jude Oyibo proving a nuisance down the left. Hunter, carded early on for bringing him down had to tread carefully.

Both Oyibe and another former Cestrian, Brad Jackson were replaced at half time by Duxbury and Walker respectively as Radcliffe, playing at this level for the first time this season, tried to counter City’s attacking play. But the Blues continued to create chances as Weeks and Glendon wove patterns through the midfield with the ball. Glendon fired wide after one intricate move. He then set Caton through on the right but his finish flashed across the goal. As the game wore on Willoughby replaced Peers to provide fresh impetus. He ran the channel to receive a sublime pass from Glendon but his snapshot was denied at the foot of the post by Boro keeper Hewelt.

Chester were unable to score a third and put the result beyond doubt. Had Radcliffe managed to peg a goal back then no doubt some Deva nerves would have jangled. Jordan Hulme came closest when he span to flash a shot right across goal. That chance aside there were no more alarms for City despite the visitors using all five substitutes to inject fresh energy into their efforts. Chester enjoyed a welcome and comprehensive win as a waning blue supermoon rose spectacularly behind the Gary Talbot Stand.

It was a much improved display since the weekend due in no small part to the return of Weeks but the whole side gave a performance brimming with energy and appetite. Radcliffe played their part too in an open and entertaining encounter as both sides played a passing game. The question for Chester is can they impose such an attractive type of play on teams that use a more uncompromising and direct style? That question will be posed again on Saturday when City visit Alfreton.

Picture © Rick Matthews

Brackley, perhaps still bruised from another play-off final defeat at the end of last season and Chester, with pre-season optimism rudely deflated at Spennymoor, came into this game after 3-0 opening day defeats and were keen to make amends. For the most part they cancelled each other out in what manager Calum McIntyre described as an arm-wrestle of a match with the ball either up in the air or kicked out of play with monotonous regularity.

In many ways the game resembled the play off encounter of two seasons ago – tense, turgid and without much composure on the ball from either side. The visitors dictated play at the start, pushing the Blues on to the back foot and teeing up set pieces – corners and long throws into the box. City dealt with them well by and large - except on one occasion with just over quarter of an hour to go when the ball fell at the feet of Connor Hall who pivoted to drive it through the challenge of a defender and into the back of the net. One-nil to the law of percentages.

It was the only goal of the drabbest of games. Chester were rarely able to play the ball around on the ground so keen was Brackley’s press and shackling of their men to anyone in a blue shirt. Arguably though City created the best chances of the game. Once in the first half Caton’s cross from the left was met by Rawlinson’s head but his effort was clawed away by Maxted. After Newton had headed Lowe’s cross firmly wide when he should have done better, Chester spurned two golden opportunities midway through the second period. First Peers deft through ball sent Willoughby through Brackley’s high line. He scored from a similar position two years ago but this time dragged his shot narrowly wide of the post. Minutes later Murray’s peach of a corner was met by Burke at the far post. His downward header was scooped off the line by Maxted’s trailing foot.

Had either of those chances been taken then a hard fought draw would have been the most likely outcome. As it is City remain goalless and pointless after the first two games. The next challenge brings newly promoted Radcliffe to the Deva on Tuesday night under the guidance of former City managers Antony Johnson and Bernard Morley who will, no doubt, be anxious to raise their game for the occasion.

Picture © Rick Matthews

It wasn’t to be the start of the new season Blues fans were hoping for as Chester began their 24/25 campaign with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Spennymoor Town at The Brewery Field on Saturday.

Chester gave a debut to five players and one of those, goalkeeper Cameron Mason was straight into the action producing a fine save to deny Isaac Fletcher the opening goal after just three minutes.

It was to prove a short reprive for the Blues defence though as Fletcher found the net three minutes later converting a cross from Corey McKeown, given plenty of space down the right, from close range.

Chester responded with an effort from Kurt Willoughby that produced a save out of home ‘keeper Brad James, but it was the home side that created the better chances for the remainder of the opening half.

Moors doubled their lead nine minutes after the restart and again it was midfielder Fletcher who found the net following another right wing McKeown cross.

With 20 minutes remaining the Blues had a great chance to reduce the deficit but an almighty goalmouth scramble saw Harrison Burke hit the woodwork twice and force James into a couple of fine saves.

Five minutes later Moors put the result beyond doubt with a third goal. A foul on Taylor 30 or so yards out resulted in Matty Dolan stepping up to send his free-kick over the Blues wall and right into the top corner of the net, giving Mason no chance to give Spennymoor their tenth consecutive home win.