News from Deva Stadium January 2017

31 January 2017
WINGER JOINS ON LOAN
Chester have signed 20-year-old Wigan Athletic winger Danny O’Brien on loan until the end of the season. O’Brien played for the Blues on loan at the same time last season scoring one goal (at Altrincham) in 7+2 appearances.

O’Brien told the Chester Chronicle: “Chester is a big part of my career and I feel like last year they kicked me on. Last year I came into a club that needed results and that needed to win and it was a big learning experience. That’s the why I wanted to come back. The new manager has come in and he has changed the way that it works, it’s run like a proper football club.”

30 January 2017
DEFEAT FOR CHESTER

The Blues suffered a 3-1 defeat at Dover Athletic on Saturday missing an opportunity to close the gap on their play-off chasing opponents. Manager Jon McCarthy gave a start to Matty Waters and recalled Liam Roberts in goal for the match. Dover had the better of the opening exchanges, and despite Chester coming more into the game, took the lead on 25 minutes. Leading scorer Ricky Miller worked his way onto the box before being fouled by Waters. Miller send Roberts the wrong way from the resulting penalty.

James Alabi scored a great equaliser five minutes curling a shot past Steven Arnold in the home goal from the edge of the box. Miller was lucky to escape a red card following a late challenge on Johnny Hunt, the Whites striker having previously received a yellow card.

The decision would cost Chester as Miller raced through early in the second half to restore Dover's lead. It was game over on 57 minutes as Joe Healy added a third goal for the hosts.

The defeat sees Chester slip to tenth in the league and the Blues face another tough trip on Saturday when they travel to third placed Dagenham & Redbridge.

• League table after Dover defeat

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

26 January 2017
NEW DEAL FOR McCARTHY

Manager Jon McCarthy has signed a new 2½ year deal at Chester which takes him to the end of the 2018/19 season. McCarthy took over when Steve Burr was sacked in April 2016 and won three of the four remaining games of the season to steer the Blues away from the relegation zone. This year Chester have continued to improve and lie six points from a play-off place thanks to a run of 17 matches with just one defeat leading up to Christmas.

Chief executive Mark Maguire told a press conference at Chester this morning: “We are thrilled to have secured the services of Jon for an additional two years. He is an outstanding manager and an outstanding individual who has transformed things both on and off the pitch.”

“I wish to make clear that the reward of this new contract is not only about the results on the pitch – which have exceeded expectations – but also because of the impact he has had in creating a culture off the pitch which has brought the whole club together. He has created a clear footballing vision and integrated that throughout the First Team and Youth Team set up with intelligence and understanding of the club.”

“It is a privilege to work with him and his young squad and, as chief executive, I'm looking forward to matching his progress commercially in order that together we can create a platform which will position the club in a place where we can have a real go at getting back into the Football League.”

“There’s plenty of hard work ahead but this new contract is a fantastic first step!”

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

23 January 2017
TRANMERE SWITCH
The home league against Tranmere Rovers will now take place on Friday 3 March with a 19.45 kick-off. The game is still being screened live by BT Sport.

HONOURS EVEN IN DERBY STALEMATE
Chester came from a goal down to draw an entertaining derby match with Wrexham on Saturday, James Alabi netting the equaliser from the penalty spot. The Blues finished the game following a red card for Luke George 15 minutes from time.

Chester had the better of the opening half that saw a header from man of the match Ryan Astles come back off the bar and Alabi having a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside following an Elliott Durrell corner. At the other end Izale McLeod blazed over when well placed to miss Wrexham's best chance of the half.

Wrexham started the second half brightly and took the lead in the 53rd minute with two former Blues combining as Anthony Barry’s cross was met at the far post by John Rooney who beat Alex Lynch to score.

The Blues were back on level terms six minutes later as Alabi cut inside from the right and after a couple of stepovers was adjudged to have been fouled by James Jennings in the area, referee Craig Hicks duly pointed to the penalty spot and Alabi crashed the ball home in front of the Harry McNally Terrace.

Lynch pulled off a tremendous save to deny Mark Carrington as the game flowed from end to end. Eleven minutes from time George received a second yellow card and his marching orders after a short Theo Vassell back-pass had led him to dive into a tackle.

Wrexham pressed in the final minutes with both Jordan White and Rutherford going very close to finding the winner but Chester hung on for a share of the spoils.

18 January 2017
NEW DEAL FOR VASSELL
Theo Vassell is to remain at Chester until the end of the season after Walsall agreed to extend his loan spell. The deal also allows the 20-year-old defender to play for Walsall reserves during his time at Chester. Vassell has so far made 15+1 appearances for the Blues, scoring one goal in the 2-3 away defeat at Barrow.

17 January 2017
BLUES TROPHY KNOCKOUT

Two well taken goals from Marcus Kelly either side of half-time gave Forest Green Rovers a 2-0 victory at Chester in the second round of the FA Trophy on Saturday. The visitors had plenty of early possession as Christian Doidge headed over from close range and Alex Lynch produced a top save to deny Fabien Robert's volley from 12 yards to keep Rovers out. Two minutes before the break though Kelly sent a curling effort past Lynch from the edge of the area.

Chester started the second half well, Tom Shaw saw a close range effort saved by 'keeper Sam Russell and Russell was in action soon after to save a Kane Richards effort. On 58 minutes though Kelly struck again from 20 yards giving Lynch no chance with another fine strike. Despite seeing plenty of the ball Chester couldn't break down their opponents who comfortably held out for victory.

Blues manager Jon McCarthy reflected after the match: “It was a fair result. I’m happy with our body of work. We spent a lot of time working, tactically, on how to deal with them, and we were willing to let them have possession. My players to the letter have done everything we asked them to do tactically.”

“They didn’t have a lot of chances and we knew that we’d have a few. That’s how it panned out. But we haven’t been able to take one of ours. They haven’t cut us open or got through us.”

“But I’ve got no complaints about my team. That’s where we’re going to be at against the top teams in this division. We set our stall out and make things difficult, and we’ve had some joy with that, and if a team comes and are right at the top of their game, with the quality of the players they’ve got, then we hold our hands up.”

Chester are back in league action on Saturday with the all-ticket cross border derby at home to Wrexham, kick-off 15.00hrs.

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

10 January 2017
ANOTHER LIVE TV MATCH
The home game against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday 4 March will be screened live by BT Sports, kick-off now at 12.15.

SENIOR CUP DEFEAT
A young Chester side were knocked out of the Cheshire Senior Cup 5-4 on penalties by Hyde United tonight in front of a crowd of 338. The Blues led 2-0 late in the game with goals from Matty Waters and James Jones, only to concede two quick goals to force 30 minutes extra-time. Chester went 3-2 ahead early in extra-time through Nathan Brown before being pegged back again to force the penalty shoot-out.

Chester: Roberts, Downes, Evans, Hunt, Joyce (Rowbottom), J.Jones, Edwards, Waters, Ap-Gareth, Marsh (Thomson), Brown. Subs: Hodges, E.Jones, Crayston.

ALABI AT THE DOUBLE

Two goals from James Alabi saw Chester come from behind to beat Braintree Town on Saturday. The Iron had dominated the opening 45 minutes and were ahead through a Jack Midson goal on 30 minutes. Earlier Elliott Durrell had headed a Manny Parry effort off the line as the home side pressed Chester back. The Blues, playing with the slope, started the second half brightly and almost drew level as birthday boy Matt Waters saw an effort go over the bar following good work from Durrell.

Chester drew level on 61 minutes as Kane Richards used his pace to great effect to race down the right and cross for Alabi who headed past Sam Beasant at the near post. Six minutes from time Alabi found the net again after receiving Tom Shaw’s measures pass and shooting past Beasant. The lively Alabi almost grabbed a hat-trick but saw a long range effort go over in the dying minutes.

Manager Jon McCarthy told the Chester Chronicle: “We were playing a strong and rejuvenated Braintree team. They’ve got themselves very well organised, they have got a group of strong players, they have some good footballers, and they dominated the first half. They were 4-2-4 and they picked up a lot of second balls and put us under a lot of pressure. But, while not enough, we did feel we had some chances on the break.”

“My lads were frustrated at half-time, they had lost a couple of games over Christmas, so we just had to calm everything down and put a slightly different twist on it tactically, to not match them, because they were winning the individual battles when we matched up with them. We went three up top and three in the middle, to make us a little bit different, and give us a chance to get in the game. Then it’s the players.”

The victory lifts Chester to ninth in the division and are back in action when they take on Hyde United at home in the Cheshire Senior Cup first round on Tuesday night, kick-off 19.45hrs.

• League Table after Braintree match

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

6 January 2017
LLOYD AGREES LOAN EXTENSION
Ryan Lloyd has had his loan deal from Port Vale extended until the end of the season. The news comes as a big boost to the Blues as the young midfielder rejected a chance to move on a permanent deal to Southport. The Sandgrounders had tabled a bid for the 22-year-old player, which was accepted by the Valiants, but Lloyd chose to stay with Jon McCarthy’s team and will be available for the trip to Braintree Town tomorrow.

WREXHAM TICKETS
Tickets for the forthcoming home league match against Wrexham on Saturday 21 January (kick-off 15.00hrs) are now on sale at the club office to CFU members from 10.00-16.00hrs. They will then go on general sale during the dame hours from Monday 9 January. Tickets will also be available 18.30-19.30 before the Cheshire Cup game with Hyde United on Tuesday 10 January.

Tickets will be available after the FA Trophy game against Forest Green Rovers on Saturday 14 January from 17.00hrs. Tickets will also be sold on Sunday 15 January from 10.00 to 16.00.

Season Ticket holders and Cestrian 10 ticket holders will use the appropriate voucher from their ticket books. Tickets will NOT be sold on the day of the match.

2 January 2017
DISASTROUS START TO THE NEW YEAR

“An absolute disaster” was how manager Jon McCarthy described Chester’s home defeat by Solihull Moors on New Year’s Day to complete a miserable festive period for the Blues.

Solihull followed up their 3-2 Boxing Day victory with a comfortable 3-0 victory through goals from Jamey Osborne, Liam Daly and Harry White. Chester started the match brightly with Sam Hughes hitting the bar after six minutes but it was Moors who took the lead, against the run of play, on 17 minutes with Osborne firing home a loose ball after an initial effort had come off the post.

The visitors doubled their lead early in the second period after Alex Lynch had failed to clear a Sterling-James free-kick and Daly scored into an unguarded net.

Twelve minutes from time the game was sealed when Luke George was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area, Harry White converted the spot-kick to complete the misery for the Blues.

McCarthy apologised to the fans after the game: “We had a big crowd in for New Year, all wanting to come and be entertained and see this team that has been doing so well this year and we have been beaten 3-0 at home. It's a disaster for us, an absolute disaster.”

“The dressing room reflects it, we reflect it and I can't sing the praises of too many people, it is just one we will have to take.”

“We didn’t defend well, it just sums up the game. It’s just massively disappointing for us as a group. We apologise to all those who have come out on New Year’s Day, and the tradition that it is, and wanted to see their team win. We are genuinely sorry for that. Sometimes football just does that to us. We will go away and look at it and see what we can put right.”

Chester are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Essex to play Braintree Town, kick-off 15.00hrs.

Picture © Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

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