30 March 2005
RESERVES LOSE
The reserve lost 1-0 in a Pontins Holiday League fixture at Moss Rose against Macclesfield Town this afternoon. The Blues starting X1 was: Brookfield, Regan, Hessey, Ventre, Walsh, M.Brown, Vaughan, O’Neil, Booth, Rapley, Sestanovich.

Two goals from Ryan Lowe on his home debut brought three move vital points to lift them to 19th in League Two after City had come from behind to beat Bury 2-1. The Blues had been jeered off at half-time after failing to register a single shot in the opening 45 minutes with The Shakers being gifted their lead through Colin Kazim-Richards following a miscued Chris MacKenzie clearance.

After the break Lowe scored with a swerving shot, City’s first of the match, from the edge of the box to level matters on 59 minutes, then found himself six yards out with just the keeper to beat, which he coolly did, after an Andy Nicholas throw had evaded the Bury defence at the near post.

City moved a point nearer their safety target following last night’s 0-0 draw at Mansfield Town in front of 314 travelling City fans. The Blues had chances to win as the game entered the latter stages, with Robbie Foy and debut player Ryan Lowe having good opportunities to take all three points. With Shrewsbury picking up a point at home to bottom placed Cambridge United, City remain in 21st place in League Two on 42 points.

Manager Ian Rush said: “The most important thing is we kept a clean sheet, and we did just that. Once we got to grips with their 4-5-1 system, which we sorted out at half-time, I thought we looked organised.

Although Mansfield has a lot of possession, they couldn’t do anything with it. In the second-half, if there was going to be a winner, it was us and we had two good chances. The team worked their socks off and you can’t ask for anything else.

Ryan Lowe had an excellent debut for us. He gave us something different and was very unlucky not to score.”

Other League Two results yesterday were:

Bury 3 Grimsby Town 1
Leyton Orient 2 Cheltenham Town 3
Rushden & Diamonds 1 Lincoln City 4
Scunthorpe United 1 Oxford United 1
Shrewsbury Town 0 Cambridge United 0
Southend United 3 Rochdale 0
Swansea City 2 Macclesfield Town 0
Wycombe Wanderers 0 Northampton Town 1

The Blues are next in action on Monday afternoon when they entertain Bury. Shakers manager Graham Barrow and their physio Joe Hinnigan (left) need no introduction, both were good servants to Chester City and they will be guaranteed a great welcome from Blues fans at Deva Stadium. Bury moved up to 17th following their victory yesterday. Kick-off is 15:00hrs.

The Blues travel to play Mansfield Town at Field Mill tonight, kick-off 19:45hrs. The Stags currently lie 16th in League Two, eight points above City.

Since beating Swansea City in early February, Mansfield have since failed to win at home against Cheltenham Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Shrewsbury Town and Oxford United. While City have won just once on their travels in that period, a rather fortunate success at Kidderminster Harriers.

The clubs last met in early August when three second half goals gave Mansfield a 3-0 victory at Deva Stadium. The last visit by City to Field Mill on Boxing Day 1999 resulted in a 2-1 defeat with Matt Doughty on the mark for the Blues that afternoon.

With just two days to go before the transfer deadline, City have signed 26-year-old Shrewsbury Town winger Ryan Lowe on a two year deal. They have previously had two offers turned down by the Gay Meadow club.

Chairman Steve Vaughan told the SKY Sports website: “He plays in a position we have been looking for, that of winger-cum-striker. He has a proven goalscoring pedigree and we are delighted to have got him.” Liverpool-born Lowe began his career at Burscough before moving to Shrewsbury Town in the summer of 2000. He has since made 118+76 appearances scoring 37 goals for the Shropshire side.

Meanwhile reserve player Ian Latham has joined Witton Albion.

Two second half goals from Michael Branch

After the match manager Ian Rush said: “I felt the lads were absolutely superb. We’re still not out of trouble and we have got to keep battling. It’s the first time since I came here that I felt the supporters really got behind the team and that makes a massive difference to them. I think that spurred the players on.”

City remain in 21st position but have gained two more points over Kidderminster Harriers and Rushden & Diamonds who fought out a 0-0 draw, and caught Shrewsbury Town who lost. Bottom side Cambridge United beat Wycombe Wanderers while Bury produced the shock of the day winning 1-0 at Yeovil to complete the double over the Somerset side.

Other League Two results on Saturday were:

Bristol Rovers 4 Mansfield Town 4
Cambridge United 2 Wycombe Wanderers 1
Cheltenham Town 0 Southend United 3
Grimsby Town 0 Darlington 1
Kidderminster Harriers 0 Rushden & Diamonds 0
Lincoln City 2 Shrewsbury Town 0
Macclesfield Town 3 Leyton Orient 1
Northampton Town 2 Swansea City 2
Oxford United 2 Boston United 0
Rochdale 0 Scunthorpe United 0
Yeovil Town 0 Bury 1

Once again City will be without influential skipper Paul Carden

Like City, County have struggled this season and find themselves 18th, three places and five points above the Blues and come to the Deva on the back of a heavy 4-0 defeat at Boston United on Tuesday and a 3-1 home defeat by Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday.

Manager Ian Rush has called for everyone to be united tomorrow as City look for three vital points. “We must go into the game positively and that means the management, players and the supporters. There is too much negativity at the moment. This is like a cup final for us. We’ve got three huge home games coming up against Notts County, Bury, and Boston United. We need a minimum of six points from those three games in order to claw our way to safety. It’s so important for our fans to get behind the players tomorrow in the first of those fixtures.”

Richard Lynes, the Supporters Trust representative on the board, has also asked for fans to back the team. He told the Chronicle “I feel very strongly that now is the time for the Trust to take the lead and call on all Chester City fans far and wide to come to the Saunders Honda Stadium on Saturday and for the remainder of the season and make your support count, regardless of whether you approve or disapprove of the management team and our style of play at times.

We have nine games to go and, more than anything, the players need to know that like at so many other grounds in the country, they can count on us to make the difference and truly get behind them. The sides below us are picking up points and, disturbingly, we are not.”

The sides last met of course on the opening day of the season as City kicked-off their return to League football. The Blues then fought out a 1-1 draw in stifling conditions at Meadow Lane with Kevin Rapley scoring from close range after Daryl Clare had seen a penalty saved three minutes from time.

Striker Cortez Belle has joined Newport County on loan for a month.

Darlington are one of a few clubs who are offering a pre-purchased ticket at a discounted price initiative this season (Oxford United run a similar offer). The discount only applies to full adult prices.

For the forthcoming League Two game against Chester at The Williamson Motors Stadium on Saturday 2 April, tickets are now available from Deva Stadium at: £13.00 adult (£15.00 at the gate), the concession and disabled price of £7.00 remains the same as matchday prices.

Two players will be joining City for training for a couple of days as the Blues look to improve their squad for the end of season run-in. The management team of Ian Rush and Mark Aizlewood wil be running their eye over Swindon Town defender Andy Nicholas and former Hull City defender Carl Regan as they train with the rest of the squad. Rush has known Regan since he was a striker coach at Barnsley.

Nicholas, 21, began his career as a trainee at Liverpool in 2002 and joined the the Wiltshire side a year later. He has made 40+11 appearances for the Robins. Regan began his career at Everton before moving to Barnsley and Hull City, he made four appearances for Chester on loan and featured in the high scoring games against Tamworth and Leigh RMI in December 2003. He joined Droylsden in March 2004.

The management duo of Ian Rush and Mark Aizlewood will be feeling the pressure as another heavy away defeat for City on Saturday leaves the Blues just six points from a relegation place as once again other sides at the foot of League Two, Cambridge United, Rushden & Diamonds and Kidderminster Harriers all picked up points to close the gap on Chester.

The free match offer from Wycombe attracted a crowd over 8,000 to Causeway Stadium and the 430 City faithful among it were in good voice as Michael Branch gave the yellows the lead on 26 minutes. City missed a couple of chances to double their advantage before Nathan Tyson equalised for the home side just before the break.

The woodwork came to City’s rescue on no less than three occasions before three goals in eight second-half minutes swept City away. The vast majority of the Blues fans were heading home as Branch added his second from the penalty spot at the death.

Both Michael Brown and Ashley Sestanovich have recovered from illness and are expected to be in Ian Rush’s squad as City take on Wycombe Wanderers at Causeway Stadium tomorrow, however midfielder Paul Carden misses the match through suspension.

John Gorman’s side currently lie two points from a play-off place in ninth position though their home for of late has seen them win only one of their last seven home. However, in an effort to encourage new support, and pack the ground, admission to tomorrow’s match is by free ticket and the home side should have the backing of a 9,000+ crowd. Turnstiles open at 13:00hrs.

City will be hoping to build on their performance against Southend last Saturday. Robbie Foy was partnered for the first time with Michael Branch and the pair were a constant threat throughout the match as City twice took the lead only to be pegged back before settling for a draw against the LDV finalists.

Michael Walsh, who scored City’s opening goal on Saturday has, along with promising midfielder Robbie Booth, accepted full-time professional contracts at the club.

City put their off-field problems behind them on Saturday with a spirited 2-2 draw at home to promotion chasing Southend United, and with a bit more composure in front of goal, would have claimed all three points. Twice City took the lead only for the Essex side to equalise to deny the Blues a much needed victory. Michael Walsh scored his first senior goal for the club after nine minutes only for Mark Gower to curl in a free-kick to level matters at the break.

City started the second period on fire and Ben Davies slid home a Michael Branch cross soon after to restore the lead. The Blues them missed several chances to extend their lead and were pegged back five minutes form time with a deflected goal from Freddy Eastwood.

In view of developments in the last day or so regarding his position at Deva Stadium, City manager Ian Rush has issued the following statement today through his lawyer.

“I have read with interest the comments in today’s media.

I am not sure if the quotes attributed to executives at this Club are accurate or whether they have been misreported. All I can say is that what I have read has been highly inaccurate and it appears somebody is trying to make me out to be holding the club to ransom in some way. Until I am told otherwise, I am the manager of Chester City Football Club and I am preparing the team for the game on Saturday against Southend. I will continue with my duties to the best of my ability.

Both manager Ian Rush and coach Mark Aizlewood are reported to have rejected a severance settlement to leave the club from chairman Steve Vaughan. The Blues, currently 21st in League Two, have had a disappointing series of results over recent weeks failing to score in eight of the last ten games.

Vaughan said: “I offered Ian Rush and Mark Aizlewood a financial settlement so they could resign from the club with dignity and we would agree a joint press statement regarding their departure. Mark Aizlewood verbally agreed to this course of action. However, after they discussed the offer with their solicitor, who also acts as their agent, they decided to withdraw the verbal agreement, which was disappointing. If the affair isn’t included by the weekend, then as employees of the club they (Rush and Aizlewood) may well still be in charge of team affairs for the home game against Southend United.”

Tickets for the forthcoming away League Two match at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday 12 March are available from the club office later this week. According to the official website the free tickets are available from 10:00-16:00hrs on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday as well as after Saturday’s home game with Southend United. There is no mention yet as to whether there is a restriction on numbers per person.

The tickets are FREE of charge as Wycombe Wanderers are encouraging as many of their fans of the future get down to the Causeway Stadium and hopefully pack the place out and enjoy the experience enough to want to go back for more. The free match initiative has been carried out before to great success by Brentford.