News from Deva Stadium January 2023

31 January 2023
PETERBOROUGH DATE
The home match against Peterborough Sports, recently postponed due to a frozen pitch, will now take place at Deva Stadium on Tuesday 14 March, kick-off 19.45hrs.

HEREFORD DATE
The away match against Hereford, also recently postponed due to a frozen pitch, will now take place at Edgar Street on Tuesday 28 February, kick-off 19.45hrs.

30 January 2023
WILLOUGHBY GOAL BRINGS POINT
Chester recorded a fifth successive league draw on Saturday as Kurt Willoughby’s 65th minute goal brought the Blues a point from top of the table AFC Fylde and extended the unbeaten run to 16 matches. Manager Calum McIntyre gave a debut to on-loan midfielder Rhys Hughes and there was a return to the bench following injury for Kieran Coates.

Chester created several chances of note in the opening half with Willoughby and Declan Weeks forcing saves from Chris Neal. The Coasters took the lead just before half-time as Connor Barrett cut inside from the right to score from distance, his shot hitting the underside of the bar as it flew in past Harry Tyrer.

The Blues, backed by a noisy following of around 700, attacked towards their support after the break and there were large appeals for a penalty after a challenge on Hughes on 58 minutes. A medical emergency in the crowd then saw the referee take the players off the field for around 15 minutes. When the players returned Chester were soon level as Willoughby racing through on a long ball dispossessed Alex Whitmore before rounding Neal to score in front of the jubilant away following.

Both sides had chances to claim all three points in the closing minutes before referee Mulligan blew for full-time.

The last time Chester drew five successive league matches was in 2001/02. The Blues are back in action with a home match against Alfreton Town on Tuesday night, kick-off 19.45hrs.

Picture © Rick Matthews

• League Table | Match photographs |

26 January 2023
SAM TURNER
Forward Sam Turner has joined Northern Premier Division One (West) side Hanley Town on loan for the remainder of the season. The 20-year-old has already had loan spells at both Runcorn Linnets and Skelmersdale United this season.

24 January 2023
LOAN EXTENDED
Chester have extended the loan of Shrewsbury Town forward Charlie Caton until the end of the season. Caton has scored two goals in 7+3 appearances for the Blues in his current loan spell.

MATCH OFF
Like Saturday’s home match with Peterborough Sports, tonight’s league game at Edgar Street against Hereford has been postponed due to a frozen pitch.

19 January 2023
MIDFIELDER JOINS ON LOAN
Rhys Hughes has joined Chester on a one month loan from Tranmere Rovers. The 21-year-old has made 14 first team appearances for the Prenton Park club this season, scoring once in the Papa John’s Trophy against Leeds United U21s.

16 January 2023
BLUES HELD AT HOME
Two goals in the final 12 minutes ensured Chester extended their unbeaten run as they were held at home by Curzon Ashton. Manager Calum McIntyre made four changes to the side that dew at Brackley Town last Saturday. Declan Weeks was suspended while Kevin Roberts and Kole Hall were injured and Iwan Murray dropped to the bench. In came Charlie Caton, Harrison Burke, Anthony Dudley and Joe Lynch.

Former Chester player Tom Peers gave the Nash the lead on 18 minutes and another former Blue Craig Mahon doubled their lead 20 minutes into the second half. CHester almost struck back with Caton seeing an effort hit the crossbar but on 78 minutes Matty Williams headed home after substitute Murray’s corner had been flicked on by Alex Kenyon. As the game entered stoppage time Chester drew level. Kenyon's raking cross field pass found Jamie Morgan on the right and he crossed for Kurt Willoughby to force the ball home from six yards and notch his 20th goal of the campaign.

Victories for both AFC Fylde and Scarborough Athletic saw Chester drop to sixth place. The Blues are back in home action again on Saturday as Peterborough Sports make their first visit to Deva Stadium, kick-off 15.00hrs.

13 January 2023
LLOYD MARSH-HUGHES

The club have announced that Lloyd Marsh-Hughes has left Chester. The 21-year-old forward was given a short contract in the summer and was a product of the youth academy at Deva Stadium. Lloyd made 4+26 first team appearances for Chester. He had been on loan at Caernarfon Town this season where he scored 3 goals in 12+3 appearances.

Manager Calum McIntyre told the club website: “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Lloyd for a number of years. I brought him to the club at 16 years old and it has been a pleasure to work with him in a number of different roles.”

“I genuinely wish him all the best for the future in whatever he does next, both on and off the pitch.”

Picture © Rick Matthews

10 January 2023
LEWIS EARL
Midfielder Lewis Earl has joined Marine on a one month loan. Earl injured an ankle pre-season and that kept him out of the side until Boxing Day when he took a place on the bench at AFC Telford United. A loan spell will give him the opportunity to gain some much needed match time.

CONTRACT FOR REECE DALY
Midfielder Reece Daly has signed his first senior contract at Chester which runs to the end of 2024. Daly has impressed for the Academy U18 side this season and has progressed to the first team bench recently coming off it in the FA Trophy at Farsley Celtic.

9 January 2023
HARD EARNED POINT FOR BLUES
Chester and promotion rivals Brackley Town fought out a 1-1 draw at a wet and windy St James Park on Saturday. The Blues, who had the better of the opening period, took an early lead as Danny Devine played in Kurt Willoughby who scored past Lewis to notch his 19th goal of the season on seven minutes.

As expected the home side hit back and almost drew level as Shep Murombedzi saw his effort bounce back into play from the crossbar. Cosmas Matwasa saw an effort blocked by a great intervention from Alex Brown as the Saints finished the first half in the ascendancy.

The equaliser came seven minutes into the second half as dangerman Stead, picking up Adam Rooney’s pass and slotting the ball past Harry Tyrer. The heavens opened up midway through the second half making playing conditions very difficult.

With the game entering stoppage time referee Oliver Mackey awarded the home side a penalty after adjudging that Kevin Roberts had handled a cross. Rooney stepped up and blazed the spot-kick over the bar. Declan Weeks was dismissed having received two yellow cards in an argument with the referee following the incident.

5 January 2023
STEPHENSON RETURNS
Darren Stephenson has returned to Chester following his loan spell at Curzon Ashton where he made 3+0 appearances.

2 January 2023
LATE GOAL RESCUES POINT
A Joe Lynch goal two minutes into added time saw the Blues salvage a point from their New Year's Day home match with AFC Telford United. A crowd of 3,007, the highest of the season, had seen the visitors take the lead through the impressive Harry Flowers just before the half hour mark scoring via deflection from 20 yards, a lead they took into the break.

Having created little in the opening half, Chester started the second brightly though Luke Pilling in the Bucks goal was equal to everything coming his way. On 65 minutes Telford were reduced to ten men after Montel Gibson was adjudged to have struck Alex Brown off the ball and was shown a straight red card.

The Telford ten became nine three minutes from time, as Adam Senior was given a second yellow card for what looked like time wasting. Chester made their numerical dominance count with the game two minutes into added time as substitute Lynch saw his shot deflect and loop over Pilling into the net to the relief of the home faithful.

Chester had Harry Tyrer to thank for producing a last minute save to deny Brendon Daniels to certain winner. The draw sees Chester remain in fourth place ahead of a trip to second in the table Brackley Town on Saturday, kick-off 15.00hrs.

REARRANGED MATCHES
The club have rearranged two league matches recently postponed due to frozen pitches. They will now play Hereford away on Tuesday 24 January, and a week later on 31 January will play Alfreton Town at home. Both games kick-off at 19.45hrs.

Webmaster |

Back | Top