This
match’s final scoreline was not a true reflection
on the game as City's young team put on a creditable performance
which belied their inexperience and their lack of wages.
But it was another defeat for Jim Harvey’s struggling
side and although the whole team showed a trememdous work-rate,
there was never really a serious threat that they’d
do any more than get a point out of the game.
It was actually City who had the first shot with a Lloyd
Ellams strike from some distance which Kidderminster goalkeeper
Dean Coleman had to put behind for a corner. James Owen
took the corner, but it was cleared by the home side.
Kidderminster then came into the match, with John Danby
having to tip one shot over the bar. The resultant corner
then saw Harriers get another scoring opportunity, but
this time the crossbar stopped a good header from finding
the net.
Danby was soon back in action again, making a save from
Robbie Matthews after an excellent pass from tricky Brian
Smikle.
Kidderminster then won a corner and a near-post melee
led to the ball finding the net. It almost looked like
an own goal by City defender, Sean Kelly, but Kidderminster’s
Gavin Caines claimed it.
City didn’t give up though and Ellams had a fantastic
long-range shot which saw Coleman have to go to full-stretch
to tip over the bar.
The rest of the half was a bit of a non-entity, leaving
the 94 Chester fans wondering if they’d already
seen their side’s best chance to leave freezing
Aggborough with a point to show for their trouble.
The second half almost immediately confirmed that view
as Kidderminster’s Darryl Knights had a good shot
saved by Danby within six minutes of the re-start.
It was all Kidderminster for the first 20 minutes of the
second half, with City’s young defence doing well
to keep the home side at bay. Danby certainly didn’t
have to worry about the cold, as he was kept busy by making
several saves.
Chester and their supporters didn’t really get buzzing
until the pressure switched with about 15 minutes to go.
City won two free-kicks on the edge of the box as they
pushed forward. But both glimmers of hope fell to nothing
and the action switched back to the other end.
On the 88th minute, a neat Kidderminster move saw sub
Damien Spencer run into space with the ball. He passed
to Duane Courtney and he shot the ball home.
It was a harsh scoreline for Chester, but despite three
minutes of extra time there was nothing they could do
about it. Following the full-time whistle, the away side
got a decent show of recognition from the travelling fans.
But the victory at Grays on 7 November now seems light
years ago, and it seems hard to imagine when City will
next get three points on the road.
Just
over 400 Blues fans see City reach a new low as they’re
dumped out of the FA Trophy by Blue Square North side
Fleetwood Town. The visitors could indeed have won by
a greater margin, as the young Blues side could only muster
one real chance of note in the entire 90 minutes.
Manager Jim Harvey welcomed back Tim Ryan who replaced
the suspended Kevin Roberts, while Michael Lea took a
place in the bench after recovering from injury. But once
again it was youthful team, with six players under the
age of 21, lacking in experience that took the field for
the tie.
In a game of few chances it was Nick Chadwick who went
close early on after bring put through by Ben Willkinson
the striker could only shoot straight at Craig Dootson
when he should really have done better with the chance.
As the half wore on it was the visitors who had the upper
hand with plenty of possession but couldn’t find
a way through the City back-line. When they did break
though Sean Clancy crossed for Jamie McGuire who sent
a header just wide before John Danby produced a smart
save to deny Jamie Mullan.
Town continued to hold the upper hand after the break
and eventually broke the deadlock ten minutes in.
Jamie Milligan sent a free box into the box from the left,
Danby came but failed to hold the dipping cross and Adam
Warlow was left to tap-in the loose ball for a simple
goal to the delight of the 110 visiting supporters.
Ben Jones replaced Wilkinson in the City attack on 65
minutes but it was Town who wee creating the scoring chances
as both Mullan and McGuire went close. Danby turned a
McGuire shot round the post and Steve Torpey brought another
save from the Blues ‘keeper, before Warlow netted
the ball from the rebound only to see his effort ruled
offside.
The visitors from the Blue Square North comfortably saw out the final minutes to book their place in round two and a home tie with Dover Athletic.
Rate
City’s performance
Saturday
5 December Chester City 0 Luton Town 0
Football Conference
Attendance: 1,352 (523 Luton) Half Time 0-0
Booked: Freeman, Wilkinson, Kelly. Sent-off: Roberts.
Quite
probably the youngest ever first team fielded by Chester,
including three 17-year-olds, earned a well deserved point
against promotion chasing Luton Town, despite playing
the second half with ten men following the sending-off
of Kevin Roberts.
Blues Manager Jim Harvey was forced
to draft in young replacements as he was without both
Tim Ryan through illness and Rhys Meynell through injury.
In came Jack Rea and Jordan Freeman both making their
full debuts. Four more youth players Sam Coulter, Ben
Jones, Connell Rawlinson and Ryan Davidson joined goalkeeper
Andrew Murphy on the bench.
With so many players out this was a game that City had
to dig their heels in and absorb the inevitable pressure
from a far more experienced Luton side in what proved
to be a dour contest. Despite that though it was City
who had the first glimpse of a goal with Nick Chadwick
just failing to latch on to a through ball from Anthony
Barry in the opening five minutes as Kevin Pilkington
in the visitors goal rushed out to collect the ball.
Alan White prevented another Chadwick opportunity minutes
later as the lone striker looked to latch on to a deflection
in the box. The first real opportunity for the visitors
came on 26 minutes when a quick move down the left saw
Murray flash in a low cross right across the City goal
but, fortunately for City, there was no-one there to turn
home the loose ball.
Matthew Barnes-Homer then saw a shot deflect wide of John
Danby’s goal on 38 minutes following a sharp turn
on the edge of the box. Minutes later City were reduced
to ten men. Kevin Roberts was adjudged to have held back
Barnes-Homer as he raced through on goal and received
a straight red card. The visitors appealed for a penalty
but referee Brown awarded a free-kick on the edge of the
box which Lewis Emanual blasted straight into the City
wall.
The City rearguard was on hand to clear the ball seven
minutes into the second period as Barnes-Homer and Adam
Newton combined well. Danby made a smart save to deny
Tom Craddock as he turned the ball round the post following
a shot from 20 yards. Keith Keane saw a shot deflect to
Danby from the resulting inswinging corner that City failed
to fully clear.
The Hatters missed a golden opportunity on 69 minutes
when good work from Barnes-Homer down the right set up
White who headed over from just six yards out.
Youngster Rawlinson replaced Ben Wilkinson as City looked
to continue their spirited performance. Newton wasted
another opportunity for the visitors as he shot over following
a right wing cross from pacy Cain.
Ryan Davidson came on for a debut with three minutes remaining,
replacing Lloyd Elllams. With time running out City had
shouts for a penalty after James Owen appeared to have
been brought down by Newton but referee Brown waved play
on.
Moments later the game was over and it was left for the crowd to give the youngsters a standing ovation as they left the pitch.
Tuesday
1 December Cambridge United 1 Chester City
0
Football Conference
Attendance: 2,239 (43 Chester) Half Time 0-0
Booked: Roberts, Rule, Owen, Barry.
Cambridge
heaped the misery on Chester’s woes with a Danny
Crow goal scored on the 90th minute to give the home team
a lucky three points.
Chester had missed enough chances
to secure a much-needed win, with Ben Wilkinson having
the match’s first shot on target in the 11th minute.
Soon after, Wilkinson was in the thick
of it again when he was fouled after a good pass from
Nick Chadwick. Anthony Barry took the free kick, which
beat the wall, but was cleared to safety.
The first booking of the game came
on the 25th minute when Kevin Roberts was yellow-carded
for a wayward tackle on ex-City player, Chris Holroyd.
Another Chadwick pass led to Lee Ellams
getting a good chance to score, but he only managed
to slide the ball into the arms of United goalkeeper,
Danny Potter.
Holroyd had two good chances to put
Cambridge ahead, but one missed the target and the other
was cleared. Potter had to make another save from Ellams,
just before referee Ford blew for half-time.
Cambridge went off the field to a
chorus of boo-ing and did come back in the second half
with more determination. Holroyd was still crucial to
the Cambridge attack and looked to have forced John
Danby to pick up a pass-back inside the first two minutes
of the re-start. But the referee awarded Danby a free
kick.
Glenn Rule was booked for a foul on
Holroyd on the 56th minute and just two minutes later,
James Owen was also shown a yellow card for a trip on
Jai Reason. Holroyd had a 30-yard shot saved by Danby,
before he was substituted on the 72nd minute.
Chester were getting rattled and Barry
became the fourth City played to be booked when he kicked
the ball away in frustration after he was adjudged to
have been guilty of handball.
Sean Kelly did well to block a Cambridge
shot after they won a corner on the 83rd minute. Soon
after, Cambridge won a free kick, but the shot went
straight at the City wall.
Cambridge continued to threaten and
substitute Adam Marriott had a shot that went just over
the bar. He then won a free kick, which led to the Cambridge
winner when Danny Crow headed it home.
There was no time left for a
late City comeback and it was no doubt a long trip home
for the 43 Blues fans who made the cross-country trip.
This
match’s final scoreline was not a true reflection
on the game as City's young team put on a creditable performance
which belied their inexperience and their lack of wages.
Just
over 400 Blues fans see City reach a new low as they’re
dumped out of the FA Trophy by Blue Square North side
Fleetwood Town. The visitors could indeed have won by
a greater margin, as the young Blues side could only muster
one real chance of note in the entire 90 minutes.
Quite
probably the youngest ever first team fielded by Chester,
including three 17-year-olds, earned a well deserved point
against promotion chasing Luton Town, despite playing
the second half with ten men following the sending-off
of Kevin Roberts.
Cambridge
heaped the misery on Chester’s woes with a Danny
Crow goal scored on the 90th minute to give the home team
a lucky three points. 
TURNER OUT ON LOAN
BRACKLEY DEFEAT FOR BLUES
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