Chester:
Lynch, Hudson, Hughes, Astles, Hunt, Shaw, Lloyd, Mahon
(Richards 60), Durrell, Chapell, Alabi (Akintunde 67).
Subs not used: Horwood, Joyce, Waters.
Lincoln City: Farman, Wood, Habergham, Waterfall,
Power (Whitehouse 76), Anderson, Raggett, Arnold, Woodyard,
Robinson (Muldoon 64), Rhead (Hawrkridge 85). Subs not
used: Whitehouse, Miles, McCombe. Referee: Anthony Backhouse.
Chester's
fine nine match unbeaten league run came to an end when
they were well beaten by play-off chasing Lincoln City.
Manager Jon McCarthy was forced into a change with Theo
Vassell injured, in came Blaine Hudson for the on-loan
defender.
An open attacking game saw both sides creating chances.
The Imps forced a corner in the second minute and Alex
Lynch was beaten to a through ball by Harry Anderson
but the effort drifted wide. Elliott Durrell and Jordan
Chapell both brought out saves on the counter attack
from Paul Farman in the Imps goal and at the other end
Nathan Arnold forced a punched clearance from Lynch
as Lincoln pressed.
The Blues forced a series of
corners and Ryan Astles gave them the lead from one
on 33 minutes as Tom Shaw headed Ryan Lloyd's flag-kick
back from the far post for the defender to score.
Ten minutes later Lincoln were
level as the dangerous Matt Rhead headed home a far
post Sam Habergham corner in off the post.
With two minutes remaining in
the opening half referee Anthony Backhouse awarded Chester
a penalty for a foul by Luke Waterfall on Shaw. Shaw
picked himself up to send Farman the wrong way form
the spot-kick.
Unfortunately the Blues were unable to hang on for the
whistle as Lincoln equalised for the second time in
stoppage time, again from a corner, as Nathan Arnold's
cross was headed home by Sean Luke Waterfall.
Three minutes into the second
period Lincoln took the lead as Rhead was first to pounce
on a loose ball following an Arnold free kick to score
from 15 yards out.
Theo Robinson should have added
a fourth for Lincoln shooting over from close range
following a lay-off from Rhead. Chester responded by
bringing on Kane Richards and Oluwaseun Akintunde to
change the attack.
With ten minutes remaining Jack
Muldoon put the game beyond Chester adding a fourth
goal after a neat one-two with Rhead. Rhead was in the
action again minutes later sending Harry Anderson through
on goal and he coolly slotted the ball past Lynch.
The final action of the match
saw Richards rattle the crossbar before Blackhouse blew
the final whistle.
A
hard fought draw for Chester who remain mid-table following
another clean sheet with debutant Alex Lynch in goal.
Manager Jon McCarthy made two changes to the side with
Tom Shaw replacing Luke George and Lynch replacing Liam
Roberts who picked up an injury at York last week.
Backed by an away support of over 500 Chester started
brightly with Elliott Durrell and Craig Mahon both saw
efforst blocked before the woodwork came to the rescue
as Macc's George Pilkington rattled the post with a
25-yarder after the Blues failed to clear a corner.
At the other end Craig Rose in the Silkman’s goal
saved to deny Jordan Chapell. Jack Sampson saw an effort
from the edge pf the box just slip wide and former Blue
Chris Holroyd shot over the bar as the home side pressed
for the opening goal.
Holroyd saw another effort deflected
wide and Lynch saved well to deny Mitch Hancox as the
home side turned the screw. Despite their pressure Chester
were restricting Macc mainly to long range efforts and
Danny Whitaker saw one such effort fly just wide moments
before the break.
Durrell forced a fine low save
out of Rose in the early moments of the second period.
The game was end-to-end with Lynch saving moments later
to deny Halls.
Ross Killock came on for the
injured Theo Vassell just after the hour mark but after
just 11 minutes he had to be replaced himself after
by Blaine Hudson after pulling up injured himself.
Chapell saw an effort saved by Rose before Macc substitute
Danny Rose hit the post with just five minutes remaining
and the same played hit the woodwork again with just
seconds remaining as Chester’s rearguard held
out for a point.
Kane
Richards scored a last minute equaliser as Chester came
away from York City with a well deserved point after dominating
most of the second period.
Manager Jon McCarthy made one change from the side so
disappointingly beaten at Southport the week before with
Jordan Chapell coming in to replace Richards who started
on the bench.
The Minstermen had the better of the opening period though
Liam Roberts was hardly tested in the Blues goal, Johnny
Hunt cleared a dangerous Alex Whittle cross for a corner
and the resulting flag kick saw Daniel Nti force a save
from Roberts.
Kyle Letheren was well placed in the home goal to save
a powerful 25-yarder from Craig Mahon as Chester got more
into the game, and Elliott Durrell saw a shot from a similar
distance deflected wide.
James Alibi saw a shot fly just over the bar from 18 yards
seven minutes before the break. The last chance of
the half fell to Durrell who just failed to reach Chapell's
right wing cross.
Chapell, Durrell and Alibi all saw chances missed before
York opened the scoring on 70 minutes as Matt Fry headed
home from a corner.
Chester looked to bounce back quickly. Durrell saw a free
kick hit the woodwork and substitute Richards also hit
a post from close range. But as the game entered five
minutes of stoppage time Richards rose to head home a
Ryan Lloyd cross to send the 500+ away support behind
the goal crazy.
Saturday
15 October Southport 1 Chester 0
FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
Attendance: 1,674 Half Time 1-0
Booked: Alibi.
Southport:
Norman, Higgins, Howe, Thompson, Ashton, Weeks (G Jones
77), Lussey, Nolan, Ferguson (Caton 73), Allen (Cofie
83), A Jones. Subs not used: Grimes, Gray, White, G Jones,
Crump.
Chester: Roberts, Vassell, Astles, Hughes, Hunt
(Horwood 81), Lloyd, Mahon, Durrell (Chapell 28), George,
Alibi, Richards (Akintunde 60). Subs not used: Killock,
Evans, Waters, Joyce. Referee: Wayne Barratt.
Chester
went out of the FA Cup with a whimper as the in-form Blues
failed to threaten the net of bottom-of-the-League Southport
in a dismal encounter at Haig Avenue.
Despite Chester being cheered on by
a large away following (the tannoy announcement of 738
away fans left us all scratching our heads), it was
Southport who started the brighter on a balmy October
afternoon, with Jamie Allen coming close with a shot
over the bar in the opening spell.
Southport, managed by ex-Chester boss
Steve Burr, continued to be the dominant team for the
first half hour. It can't have helped Chester though
when Elliott Durrell went off injured on the 29th minute,
to be replaced by Jordan Chapell.
Soon after Southport's pressure finally
paid off and they went 1-0 up. It was a sickening goal
for Chester to concede after a poor clearance fell to
Southport's Declan Weeks. His shot wouldn't have threatened
Liam Roberts, but it ricocheted off a Chester defender
and the goalkeeper could do nothing about it. It was
a sorry way to end the run of seven clean sheets, and
came on the 700th minute since Chester last conceded
a goal.
The Blues failed to respond before
half-time came and the disappointed away terrace were
hoping matters would be different after the re-start
when Chester were shooting towards them.
Chester did put on a brighter performance
in the second half after a delayed kick-off while Southport's
groundsman attended to a troublesome net. Craig Mahon
proved to be a tricky customer, turning ex-Chester defender
Ryan Higgins at least three times before getting one
of his crosses over. The Blues also won countless corners,
giving the travelling army hope that a goal would finally
come.
Chapell also had one of his better
games, and Sam Hughes impressed again with another confident
display. But the closest they came to finding the net
was an off-target header from James Alabi, who otherwise
had a disappointing afternoon. As the final whistle
beckoned, Ryan Astles came forward at every opportunity,
but he failed to match his steady defensive performance
at the other end of the park.
It was getting close to sunset
when referee Wayne Barrett finally blew for full-time,
ending Chester's FA Cup dream for another season. But
even if the game had gone into the night I had the feeling
that Chester wouldn't have found the net.
Sue Choularton
Seven clean sheets on the run for the Blues who drop
a place despite this victory given to them by a Ryan
Lloyd first half goal.
Chester made a couple of changes to the side that narrowly
won 1-0 at North Ferriby United in midweek, in came
James Alibi and Luke George at the expense of Kane Richards
and Tom Shaw. The Blues started well with Elliott Durrell
seeing a goalbound effort kept out by home ‘keeper
Brendan More.
Torquay were creating chances
themselves with Courtney Richards missing the best of
them when well placed and the Blues defence blocked
another effort from Jamie Reid. Minutes later Nathan
Blissett saw another effort flash across Liam Roberts’
goal.
Durrell and Ryan Lloyd both
went close before the Blues took the lead in the 26th
minute after Craig Mahon had been brought down in the
box by Joe Ward. Durrell took the spot kick but his
effort was saved low down to his left by Moore but the
ball fell to Lloyd who slotted home the rebound.
The game was end-to-end with
Reid again going close for the Gulls before Mahon saw
a shot blocked on the counter attack. Oluwaseun Akintunde
sent Durrell through and his dipping effort missed the
left post by inches as Chester looked to double their
lead.
Roberts made a great save just
before the break to deny Luke Young an equaliser. Roberts
made another impressive save in the second period to
deny Damon Lathrope. Substitute Jordan Chapell forced
a partial save from Moore that fell to Alibi but his
follow-up effort saw gathered by the ‘keeper.
The final chance fell to Chapell who fired an effort
just wide in added time.
A
goal 15 minutes from time by Oluwaseun Akintunde saw Chester’s
climb up the table continue. The Blues sit tenth after
recording their first away victory that sees the unbeaten
run continue to six matches.
The
Villigers will probably think they should have got a
point from the game in which they dominated for long
periods in the opening half. Kyle Wootton went close
early on and Liam Roberts pulled off a great save to
deny Danny Clarke as the home side started well.
Wootton saw a header his the outside of the post before
Roberts pulled off another tremendous save to deny Clarke’s
header that was destined for the top corner of the net.
The home side did have the ball in the net following
a corner just before the break but Ben Middleton’s
effort was ruled out for a foul in the area.
Chester came out stronger folowing
half-time and were soon in the action with Ryan Astles
hitting the woodwork and the pace of Akintunde and Richards
causing problems. Elliott Durrell forced a fine one
handed save from Rory Watson before the home side were
reduced to ten men following a second yellow card for
Middleton.
The decisive goal came on 75 minutes
as Akintunde took advantage of a mix-up in the home
defence on half-way to race clear on goal before slipping
a shot past Watson. There was a scare in the dying moments
as a Vinny Mukendi dipping shot just cleared the Blues
goal before referee Alan Young blew for full-time.
Chester
came through a big test of character against in-form
Dover with flying colours as they found five second
half goals without reply in an emphatic victory. The
visitors, play-off semi-finalists last season and looking
likely to challenge once again came to this fixture
on a good run. They had won four out of the previous
five matches including those against both Forest Green
and Lincoln, only losing to league leaders Dagenham
& Redbridge.
The visitor’s confidence was apparent as they
dominated proceedings to begin with. In Ricky Miller,
playing on the right they had one of the National League’s
hottest properties with twenty goals to his name last
season – including the goal of the season in the
1-1 draw at the Deva - and seven already this. The Whites
consistently found him with raking passes from midfield
and he tested Jonny Hunt but the Blues full back was
up to the challenge and was superbly supported by Craig
Mahon doubling up to help him defend too. Miller earned
the wrath of home supporters when he made a back for
Ryan Astles and the giant centre back fell awkwardly
to the ground. He was refused the trainer by the referee
but was clearly in discomfort as the half progressed
– clutching his wrist – and was substituted
at half time.
Chester defended superbly
during that first forty-five and as they grew in confidence
began to offer a threat of their own. The best opening
came when Richards wriggled free on the left, slipped
a challenge on the by-line and crossed hard and low
but without finding on-rushing strike partner Alabi.
It nevertheless seemed a pivotal moment and the Blues
began to believe in themselves. They did really well
to maintain their record of clean sheets up to the break
but seemed to be up against it when Astles did not re-emerge.
George filled in alongside Sam Hughes in the backline.
City started off on the front foot and began to exert
pressure on Dover. Richards toyed with the ball on the
edge of the area and just when he seemed to be dithering
prodded it through to Hunt, still lurking there after
an overlapping raid. The left back turned and hammered
home a goal despite the keeper getting a hand on it.
If there was relief at breaking the deadlock, Chester
were euphoric a minute later after Alabi latched on
to the ball and went on one of his driving runs. A slight
sway to the left threw off his markers and he found
the net from the edge of the penalty area. The game
had been turned on its head.
Again, Steve Arnold in the Dover goal had got a hand
on Alabi’s effort but was unable to keep it out.
He’d received lengthy treatment in the first half
following Chester’s best effort on goal and he
now seemed to be struggling to kick the ball. The visitors
continued to strive to get back in the game. They looked
as though they had ended Chester’s stretch without
conceding when Moses Emmanuel’s effort approached
the goal, only to be swept away by Vassell’s last
ditch clearance.
City continued to counter-attack with increasing elan,
Mahon back to his best form on the left and Durrell
a constant threat from the opposite flank. Mahon and
Alabi combined with 79 minutes on the clock to set up
Durrell on the penalty spot who was brought down just
as he was about to shoot. Durrell wrested the ball from
Alabi’s grasp to put it back on the spot before
firing past Arnold to make it three-nil.
Dover were looking increasingly ragged as Akintunde
came on to torture them further. First he teed up Mahon
to rifle home from the edge of the area and then he
glanced home Durrell’s cross in the dying embers
of the game to send the home faithful ecstatic. In between,
Roberts had thrown himself spectacularly at the top
corner to beat away a goal bound effort and preserve
City’s clean sheet. It capped a wonderful display.
Chester's
fine nine match unbeaten league run came to an end when
they were well beaten by play-off chasing Lincoln City.
Manager Jon McCarthy was forced into a change with Theo
Vassell injured, in came Blaine Hudson for the on-loan
defender.
A
hard fought draw for Chester who remain mid-table following
another clean sheet with debutant Alex Lynch in goal.
Manager Jon McCarthy made two changes to the side with
Tom Shaw replacing Luke George and Lynch replacing Liam
Roberts who picked up an injury at York last week. 
Kane
Richards scored a last minute equaliser as Chester came
away from York City with a well deserved point after dominating
most of the second period. 
Chester
went out of the FA Cup with a whimper as the in-form Blues
failed to threaten the net of bottom-of-the-League Southport
in a dismal encounter at Haig Avenue.
Seven clean sheets on the run for the Blues who drop
a place despite this victory given to them by a Ryan
Lloyd first half goal._500px.jpg)
A
goal 15 minutes from time by Oluwaseun Akintunde saw Chester’s
climb up the table continue. The Blues sit tenth after
recording their first away victory that sees the unbeaten
run continue to six matches._500px.jpg)
._500pxjpg.jpg)
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