National League North
Attendance: 1,381 Half-time 0-1
Booked: Weeks, Shrimpton.

Chester: Murray-Jones, Weeks (Leigh 46), Leak (K.Roberts 46), J.Jones, Bainbridge, Zanzala (Peers 46), Shrimpton, Woods (F.Roberts 46), P.Jones, Carson, Shorrock. Sub not used: Kelly-Evans.
Clitheroe: Hadi, Olawumi, Briggs, Ditch, Lancaster (Hanson 81), Carroll, Martin (Windass 61), Wilkins (Halford 89), Gill (Parny 64), Scarborough (Gonzales 61), Morris.
Referee: Oliver Noonan.

Chester’s FA Trophy campaign fell at the first hurdle as they stumbled to defeat against Clitheroe – two leagues below in the Nothern Premier League Western Division.

The visitors are managed by ex-Chester midfielder Sean McConville – fondly remembered for his contributions from midfield in the ten years ago. It was a spell that re-ignited his career as he moved back to his original club Accrington Stanley and stayed for nine seasons. His return with Clitheroe may well launch his managerial career as his charges worked hard to earn a slender but deserved victory to progress to the next round.

Despite fielding a strong side – though injury ruled out Mottley-Henry and Murray – Chester were slow to get started and the visitors looked the more threatening in the early stages. They took the lead after quarter an hour when a ball was launched from the left to the far post. In a tangle of limbs the ball was knocked down, hooked on by one forward and tapped home by Scarborough when it rebounded kindly to him. A scruffy goal but no less important. The Clitheroe players overstepped the mark in their celebrations as they all but encroached on the Harry Mac Terrace and provoked a spat with nearby Chester fans.

City struggled to make headway - though Pat jones on the right had the beating of his man, others quickly covered to defend against him. Cameron Lancaster was first into the referee’s book for scything Jones down. A couple of times he managed to get a shot on target but without the power or direction to beat Hadi in the Clitheroe goal. Woods’ effort was deflected but straight into the arms of the ‘keeper. Jack Shorrock made a fine run down the left but his cross was just too high for Woods. Zanzala picked up a through ball and made for goal but was brought down right on the edge of the penalty area before he could shoot. Woods could only hit the resulting free kick into the defensive wall.

Four changes were made at half time as Calum McIntyre tried to get fresh energy into his side’s attacking play. Perhaps playing two games in a week with ten men in the second half had taken its toll on the team. The changes made an immediate difference as City began to move the ball around with a lot more speed and intensity. Fin Roberts shot narrowly over the bar. Pat Jones continued to torment the visitors down the right and got behind the defence on four or five occasions but no-one got meaningfully on the end of his crosses. A deft pass from Peers found him cutting into the penalty area but his shot went wide of the far post when he seemed likely to score. Fin Roberts met Pat Jones’ delightful cross to the far post but could only head down into Hadi’s arms.

City were much improved and probed and harried but could not find a way through a packed defence. Clitheroe defended their goal with a passion that showed how motivated they were for this match. When they were able to break cover themselves they almost doubled their lead but Murray-Jones pulled off a magnificent flying save to prevent Gill’s header finding the back of the net. This was after another effort from Fin Roberts – a clipped shot on the turn had been held by Hadi.

The best opportunity of all fell to Peers as Bainbridge knocked the ball on to him near the six yard box but the City striker couldn’t quite get the ball under control before the chance eluded him. In the end Chester paid the price for their lacklustre first half performance and had to concede defeat to a well organised and determined opposition.

National League North
Attendance: 1,743 Half-time 0-1
Booked: Peers, Leigh, K.Roberts.
Sent off: Peers

Chester: Murray-Jones, Weeks, Leak (K.Roberts 87), J.Jones, Peers, Bainbridge, Zanzala (Woods 59), Leigh (Murray 66), P.Jones, Carson, Shorrock (Woodthorpe 54). Subs not used: Barlow, Kelly-Evans, Arthur.
Marine: Barnsley, Brown, Samuels-Smith, Whelan (Newell 45+4, (Wardle 84)), Sinclair-Smith, Gergson, Marsden, Anson, Popoola (Thomas 71), Hunter (Fielding 32), Drysdale. Subs not used: McIntyre, Huby, Tumstall.
Referee: Jonathan Maskrey.

City had to be content with a point in what many described beforehand as a must-win game but how the result came about was quite extraordinary.

Both sides started with high energy. Marine were on the crest of three successive away wins while Chester were eager to get their stumbling League campaign going in earnest. Pat Jones was again the biggest threat from the Blues – his pace and close control driving them forward. Only the finish was lacking as his shot from the edge of the area flashed wide of the post. Leigh’s effort was on target and fumbled by Barnsley in the Marine goal but he was able to retrieve the situation and the ball.

Chester’s back line was changed again in what Calum McIntyre described as a re-set. Loanee Shorrock made his debut on the left whilst Leak moved to right back and James Jones returned to partner Carson in the centre. They coped fairly well with Marine’s preferred attacking option of a ball over the top to an onrushing forward. Marine pressed high and generally prevented Chester playing it through midfield. As a result play became scrappy but there were a couple of alarms for City when Ash Hunter was allowed to turn and shoot towards goal and then went close with a diving header. He was injured in the latter attempt and had to be replaced shortly after.

Play was held up for a bizarre incident when Marine forward Popoola tried to keep the ball in play near the corner flag and managed to kick through the post near the base, snapping it in two. The referee suspended play whilst working out what to do. Colin Woodthorpe marched to the corner and replaced the remaining stump with the upper half of the post but this did not seem to suit the match officials. Eventually a member of the ground staff saved the day by appearing with a full sized replacement post and the game resumed.

In the seven minutes of stoppage time that resulted, Marine won a corner on the right following Bainbridge’s crunching tackle on Whelan which resulted in the Marine player having to be substituted. His replacement Newell then scored from the corner as his header bobbled over the line via a double deflection. As if this wasn’t enough of a setback, there was still time for City to be reduced to ten men when Peers picked up a second yellow card. Referee Jonathan Maskrey adjudged that he had simulated a dive in the penalty area when he appeared to have been tripped. He’d already been booked for a tackle on Sinclair Smith so Peers went in to half time early.

Calum McIntyre made no immediate changes at half time but soon began to introduce substitutes to alter the pattern of play. Woodthorpe replaced Shorrock and soon afterwards Woods and Murray replaced Zanzala and Leigh respectively. City began to play with more fluidity and fresh intensity as they tried to rescue a difficult situation. Gradually the ten-men of Chester began to dominate possession and create momentum as Marine became increasingly nervous of preserving their lead.

Murray ended a run with a rasping shot which Barnsley could only parry at full stretch. Woodthorpe ran in to smash home the rebound but was flagged offside. City were becoming more dominant. Weeks in particular covered every inch of the pitch in his efforts to get the Blues forward. Marine were now employing every trick in the book to slow the game down. Manager Bobby Grant was sent to the stands by the referee for preventing a quick Chester throw by the dug-out. The crowd began to drift away in disappointment as the game went deep into stoppage time. Then Weeks hoisted a long ball from the right into the penalty area and James Jones – who’d lingered up in an attacking role – rose highest to nod the ball into the corner of the net.

The equaliser was no less than Chester deserved. Several of the ten men collapsed in a heap at the sound of the final whistle – so much had they put into rescuing at least a point.

Calum McIntyre reflected afterwards on the mixed feelings – disappointment with the first half performance no doubt affected by a collective lack of confidence but also heartened by the combative reaction in the second half which gleaned a point against the odds.

FA Cup Round 1
Attendance: 4,329 (1,231 Chester) Half-time 3-0
Booked: Bainbridge, Woodthorpe.

Cambridge United: Eastwood, Purrington, Watts, Morrison, Bennett, Brophy (Mayor 85), Smith (Hoddle 73), Ball (Mpanzu 73), Kaikai, Kouassi (Kachunga 73), Knight (McConnell 73). Subs not used: Bradshaw, Gibbons, Hughes, Jobe.
Chester: Murray-Jones, Woodthorpe, Carson, Arthur (J.Jones 46), Leak (K.Roberts 88), Weeks, Bainbridge, Murray, P.Jones (Zanzala 63), Peers (Woods 88), Mottley-Henry (Kelly-Evans 19). Subs not used: Barlow, Leigh, Shorrock.
Referee: David Rock.

Chester exited the FA Cup in a match at Cambridge which was sadly all but over on the 10th minute when their League Two opponents scrambled the ball home from a free kick.

Until then, there had been a buoyant atmosphere amongst the 1,231 travelling fans on a glorious autumn day. Many of them had sampled the hospitality of Cambridge’s welcoming pubs on their route to the Abbey Stadium.

Three tables of Exiles had made their most of their pre-match time in the excellent Kingston Arms, where finishing the large pork pies was the first challenge of the day.

So it was such a shame that Chester capitulated so early on in the match when the U’s Kylian Kouassi found the net from close range after a James Brophy free kick.

Chester were shooting towards their Blue Army in the first half, but there were few close-hand opportunities for them to cheer. Nathan Woodthorpe whose tackle had led to a yellow card and the free kick that led to Cambridge’s goal, tried to make amends when he connected with a Pat Jones cross. But his shot went wide of the post.

A poor header by Festus Arthur resulted in Cambridge doubling their lead on the 34th minute. The ball was easily claimed by Kouassi, who went on a largely unchallenged run before hitting the ball home from a tight angle.

Pat Jones had a chance to put Chester back into it as the first half drew to a close, but his shot went wide of the post. Soon after that, dangerman Kouassi helped put Chester’s FA Cup Round Two dream to bed when his pass found Brophy, who hit a great strike into the top corner.

The second half was a much more subdued affair, with Chester having a couple of chances through Pat Jones and Jack Bainbridge. Soon after that Jones was replaced by Offrande Zanzala, but he failed to have any real impact.

Cambridge made their own changes soon after that, with four substitutes on the 72nd minute. The fresh set of legs enabled them to regain the momentum, and Chester never looked like coming back into the game at that stage.

Everyone cheered when Kevin Roberts – who made 128 appearances for Cambridge – came on as an 89th minute substitute. Connor Woods came on at the same time, and he had a chance to give the Blues something to smile about at the death. But his strike went wide of the post and Chester's creditable four-game run in the FA Cup came to an end not long after.