Chester extended their unbeaten run to four matches with a 2-0 victory over bottom of the table Guiseley at Nethermoor on Saturday. Declan Weeks opened the scoring on 15 minutes with a fine strike from long range. Both sides created chances with the Lions pressing Chester back in the second period. Darren Stephenson sealed the three points two minutes from time with a well taken goal having been sent through by Weeks. With other results going their way the victory lifted Chester to 15th in the table.

The win comes on the back of the midweek 3-3 draw at Gloucester City where the Blues conceded two goals in the final eight minutes at the New Meadow Stadium. Chester played some of their best football away from the Deva in the opening 45 minutes on Gloucester’s 3G pitch, with two goals from Marcus Dackers and another quality strike from Declan Weeks giving them a 3-1 half-time lead, the home side having briefly drawn level on 13 minutes.

The second period saw the home side make a couple of changes and as the game wore on they pressed Chester back pulling a goal back on 82 minutes and equalising in the fourth minute of stoppage time to the agony of a sizeable midweek away following.

Following the draw manager Steve Watson said: “The way we played in the first half, the way we broke on them, the way we created so many good opportunities and restricted them, but in the second half, certainly for the last half hour, we just didn’t play as positively as you need to, to win matches. That is probably the disappointing thing. Marcus was isolated whereas in the first half he was surrounded by bodies. Although we still kept possession in the second half, we kept possession far too deep. We couldn’t get that quality in and around the final third that we had in the first half.”

With next Saturday’s scheduled opponents York City involved in the FA Trophy semi-final’s, Chester are not in action now until Saturday 9 April when they travel to top of the league Gateshead, kick-off 15.00hrs.


Picture © Rick Matthews

• League table after Guiseley match | Guiseley match photographs |

Chester recorded successive victories for the first time this season when they backed up last weeks victory at Blyth Spartans with a 4-0 home defeat of Kettering Town. Like last week, Chester got off to a dream start with a goal in the opening couple of minutes through Matt Sargent making his loan debut in midfield. Both sides continued to create half chances in the opening half with goalkeeper Louis Gray being called on to save from Callum Stead on the stroke of half time to preserve the interval lead.

Chester doubled their advantage on 48 minutes with Declan Weeks scoring from long range. A headed goal from Marcus Dackers (pictured) and a great strike from a free kick by Matty Waters wrapped up the points midway through the second period. Late in the game Dackers saw another goal ruled out for offside.

Defender Danny Livesey had to be replaced in the second half, it later transpired that he’d broken his collar bone following a challenge in the first half. Matty Williams and Kevin Roberts also picked up knocks and had to be replaced.

The Blues are in action again on Tuesday night when they travel to New Meadow Park to play Gloucester City, kick-off 19.45hrs.


Picture © Rick Matthews

A goal from Matty Williams after just three minutes set Chester on their way to a 3-1 victory at Blyth Spartans on Saturday to complete a convincing double over the north east club who were beaten 5-1 at Deva Stadium earlier in the season.

Rob Apter’s early free kick came back off the bar for Williams to sharply put the loose ball away at the far post to give the Blues a dream start. They doubled their advantage a quarter of an hour later, Declan Won the ball back in midfield and his smart pass sent Dackers through on goal to fire past home ‘keeper Alex Mitchell from 20 yards out as two defenders converged on him.

Chester added a third goal five minutes into the second half with captain George Glendon presented with the simplest of chances following a one-two with Weeks inside the box.

The home side pulled a goal back on 69 minutes with Sean Reid heading home a Robbie Dale cross but Chester held firm to stop the rot of five straight defeats in emphatic fashion.

The Blues’ next opponents are Kettering Town who, on Saturday, make their first trip to Deva Stadium since our club was reformed. Kick-off is 15.00hrs.


Picture © Rick Matthews

Chester were caught cold from the start against Chorley on Saturday with the visitors taking just two minutes to open the scoring with Jack Sampson meeting Adam Blakeman’s cross to volley the visitor’s in front. Sampson was on hand 25 minutes later to tap home his second goal to double the advantage for the Lancashire side.

The Blues made changes at the break bringing on Darren Stephenson for Harrison Burke and immediately the forwards strength and pace was causing problems for the Chorley defence. Simon Grand, Marcus Dackers and Declan Weeks all went close as Chester pushed for the goal to get them back into the game. The Blues pulled a goal back with a couple of minutes remaining as debutant Ollie Heywood, a second half substitute for Rob Apter, crossed, Dackers headed onto George Glendon who was felled by goalkeeper Matt Unwin’s challenge. Dackers stepped up to convert the spot-kick.

Despite six minutes added time Chester were unable to draw level, suffering as a result their fifth defeat on the run. Next up is a trip to Blyth Spartans on Saturday, kick-off 15.00hrs. Spartans lie just one place below Chester in 19th place in the league.


Picture © Rick Matthews

“There was hardly any football played but, when we did manage to get the ball down, we created things. We worked their keeper probably a lot more than they worked ours.”

“Unfortunately, it I going to sound like I am repeating myself, but if you can’t do the basics at football, marking from corners, getting onto second balls and reading and sensing danger and just being more aggressive to stop the opponent from scoring, then you can’t win games.”

“People have traveled down the country from Chester and they deserve a lot better. The lads know that and they and I are bitterly disappointed. But there are no excuses, there really aren’t.”