News from Deva Stadium March 2015

30 March 2015
CLUB AGREES LEASE EXTENSION
The football club have agreed with Cheshire West and Chester Council on a 50 year extension to the Deva Stadium lease. The club were originally granted a five year lease when they reformed in 2010. The longer lease allows the club to now look for grants which may be available for ground improvements.

Chairman Grenville Millington said: “What a fantastic two days this has been for our club and today marks a very important milestone in our development. Thanks must go to our past chairman Tony Durkin who led for us on this important project for many, many months. Tony was ably advised and assisted by Steve Harvey and CFU member Paul Ivison.”

“Our vice-chair Jim Keegan saw the project through to conclusion after Tony stood down from his board role. We can now build for the future with confidence.”

DUO SIGN NEW DEALS
Both Ben Heneghan and Ryan Higgins have signed new one year contracts at Chester. Both players wee out of contract at the end of this season. Heneghan, who signed from Stoke City has scored eight goals in 36+4 appearances this season. Higgins signed from AFC Telford United and has made 12 appearances scoring one goal.

29 March 2015
IAN MOIR 1943-2015
Former Chester star Ian Moir has died after a long battle with cancer. The popular Aberdeen born winger only played 25 league games for the club but made a huge impact in this short period and will always be fondly remembered by Blues fans. Ian continued to live in Vicar’s Cross after his retirement from the game and remained well-known in the area for his involvement in local football and crown-green bowling.

• Obituary

26 March 2015
BURR EXTENDS CONTRACT
Blues manager Steve Burr has this afternoon committed his immediate future with the club by extending his current contract at Chester until the end of the 2016/17 season. Burr told the official website: “I am absolutely delighted to have extended my contract with the Club. I am pleased with the progress we have made from last season. The Club has got a fantastic supporter base both home and away and I firmly believe we have the potential to take Chester FC back into the Football League. I am not saying it’s going to be easy and we have a long way to go but our progress is in the right direction.”

24 March 2015
ITALIAN TRIP FOR DUO
Manager Steve Burr and his assistant Jon McCarthy are currently enjoying a midweek trip to Italian Seria A side Juventus. The pair were invited to take a look at the academy set-up and first team facilities at the invitation of Riccardo Cavallari. Cavallari, who has relatives living in Chester, is the Education and Welfare Co-ordinator at Juventus and he attended a Senior Blues meeting late last year and enjoyed his experience at the ground so much he wanted to help forge links between the two clubs.

22 March 2015
HENEGHAN GOAL SALVAGES POINT

A goal two minutes from time by Ben Heneghan rescued a point for Chester at Alfreton Town on Saturday. Tom Shaw had given the relegation threatened Derbyshire side the lead with a superb long-range strike midway through the first half. Jon Worsnop produced a couple of saves to keep the scoreline down at the interval.

A half-time roasting from Steve Burr saw an improved performance for the second period but it wasn’t until the 88th minute before the leveler came as Heneghan stooped to head home substitute Sean McConville’s cross from the right. Right at the death Jason Mooney in the home goal produced a fine save to deny Ryan Higgins from adding the winner.

Manager Burr told the Chester Leader: “I was very frustrated in the first-half and we had a bit of a go at half-time because you’ve never done enough in football and the following that we had and the performances we’ve had this season didn’t reflect in that first-half.”

“ In the second-half we got a reaction, we had to change things around a little bit, and I felt second-half we were all over them and we were the better side but it just didn’t look like it was going to be one of those days where we were going to score.”

Chester are back in action on Saturday when play-off Chasing Woking visit the Blues, kick-off 15.00hrs.

• League table after this game

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

18 March 2015
LATE GOAL SINKS CHESTER
A late own goal from Kingsley James gave Dartford a surprise win at Chester last night. The Blues had take the lead through Oliver McBurnie nine minutes into the second half only to switch off a minute later allowing Nathan Green to lob Jon Worsnop for the equaliser. With the game heading for a draw James inadvertently deflected a Danny Harris corner into his own net to give the relegation threatened Kent side all three points.

Manager Steve Burr said: “It’s an awful result. If you analyse it then it’s a game where we are scratching our heads why we didn’t win it but that’s how it’s panned out. We’re really disappointed after we took the lead because they were hard to break down and they came and put bodies in front of the goalkeeper and it was really hard to get in behind them and down the sides of them and we expected that and it was just a question of not getting frustrated.”

• League table after this game

16 March 2015
AWARDS NIGHT
The end of season awards night will take place at the Guildhall this year following the home match against Dover Athletic on 11 April, starting at 19.30hrs. Once again Colin Murray will compere the evening. Tickets for the event which include a three course meal are priced at £35.00 and are on sale at the football club by contacting Tracey Wainwright on 01244 371376.

15 March 2015
BURR PRAISES BLUES FIGHTBACK
Two late goals from Ben Heneghan and John Rooney saw Chester fight back to earn a 2-2 draw in an entertaining game against against promotion chasing Grimsby Town. Heneghan struck with 15 minutes remaining and Rooney scored from the penalty spot with six minutes left on the clock.

Manager Steve Burr was pleased with the effort from his players: “I was always optimistic that if we got that goal we could kick on and we certainly did that. It’s just a pity we ran out of time. Jon Worsnop’s made terrific saves as well and they could of won it at the death couldn’t they? It’s just pleasing we got something out of a game that was entertaining and exciting for everybody here.”

“We just felt first-half - and they’re a good side, you can see why there are up there and they’ve got some good players in there - but we just felt we didn't get on the front foot and that was a point we made at half-time to try and get in behind them and play down the sides of them and we did that.”

12 March 2015
THOMSON GOAL BRINGS AWAY VICTORY
George Thomson scored his first goal for Chester last night as the Blues recorded a 1-0 victory at Torquay United. Both sides had chances in the opening period with Jon Worsnop making saves to deny Luke Young and Ryan Bowman before Thomson struck from ten yards on 30 minutes following good play from Brad Abbott.

“The pitch is quite decent at Torquay and it’s good to play on and trying to play football on Wrexham’s pitch was very difficult.”

“I said to the lads ‘look, we didn’t adapt in the game on Saturday to the conditions and whatever the conditions are tonight we have to adapt’ and we did that. I just thought all round we dominated, the back four was excellent. We went to a 4-4-2 and we brought George in because we are going to be looking between now and the end of the season to keep things nice and fresh and moving the side around a little bit.”

“We had a couple of injury problems going into the game missing Sean McConville and Matty Hughes was a little bit of a doubt but it was a great to see George come in and get his goal, and to be honest he could have had one or two others.”

There should be a large away following as Chester take on fourth placed Grimsby Town at home on Saturday. The Mariners sit five points behind current leaders Bristol Rovers with a game in hand. The Blues were beaten 3-0 at Blundell Park in the reverse fixture back in September.

• League table after this game

8 March 2015
DERBY DEFEAT FOR BLUES

An early goal from Keiron Morris on eight minutes was enough to give Wrexham their first victory over Chester since 2008. The Dragons proved the better side over the 90 minutes coping better with the bumpy pitch. As expected Oliver McBurnie began a second period on loan with Craig Hobson making way in an otherwise unchanged side.

Chester created few chances of note with Gareth Roberts and McBurnie forcing good saves from Andy Coughlin in the home goal. JOhn Worsnop was the busier of the two ‘keeper’s though pulling off a string of fine saves and blocks to keep the score to 1-0 at the interval.

Chester’s best spell of the game came in the opening 15 minutes of the second period with Matty Brown and Kingsley James coming on form the bench but as the game wore on it was Wrexham who looked more like adding to their lead.

Manager Steve Burr said: “I can say the break hasn’t helped us because we haven’t won but if we’d have won I’d say it’s been a nice break. I don’t like to make excuses but when you’re playing and you’re winning you want to continue playing and that little break probably didn’t help us.”

“I felt there there were one or two who just dipped. We’ve got a very young side and for a lot of them playing in front of a crowd like that was probably the first time they’d ever done that.”

“Maybe one or two, I don’t like to say froze a little bit, but maybe one or two were not quite how they have been hence the fact that we weren’t at our best and we didn’t win the game.”

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

6 March 2015
BLUES WELCOME BACK MCBURNIE

Bradford City striker Oliver McBurnie is expected to join Chester for a second one-month loan spell. Paperwork should be completed in time for the young player to line-up in the all-ticket derby match at Wrexham tomorrow (kick-off 13.00hrs). McBurnie scored one goal, at Welling United, in four appearances with Chester over recent weeks.

Manager Steve Burr will have to do without the suspended defender Michael Kay for the game, either Kieran Charnock or Matty Brown will replace him. Burr will be awaiting on new of the fitness of another loan signing Brad Abbott before selecting his starting X1.

A crowd of over 5,000 will be at the Racecourse Ground tomorrow as Chester attempt to complete the double over their rivals following the dramatic last minute win in the home fixture back in September. Chester’s allocation of 1,200 tickets sold out in a matter of days of going on sale.

Burr is looking to his more experienced players to take control tomorrow, he told the Chester Leader: “A few players will have butterflies in their belly, but I feel we have nothing to lose tomorrow, only pride. We face a tough game because Wrexham is a difficult place to go to and get a result, but we will go there full of confidence and we’ll be playing in front of a big Chester following.”

“I was really pleased to hear that Chester have sold their full allocation of tickets, but we are playing as good as we have been doing all season.”

“I’m aiming to see our more experienced players keeping the younger lads calm and not letting them get intimidated or lose their heads because it will be a huge disadvantage to us if we have a player sent off.”

• Current league table

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

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