Commenting on the scheme City chairman Mark Guterman added: “There must always be room in any serious football fans heart for a second team. I’m sure there are scores of Liverpool, Everton and Manchester United fans who live and work in Chester who will welcome this opportunity to see what their local team has to offer.” Supporters club chairman Barry Hipkiss commented: “Anything that gets people involved with the club is a benefit, but Chester season ticket holders paid for every single match months ago.”

Kevin Ratcliffe had the players in for extra training today following yet another fiasco on their travels. For the fourth game running City have been thrashed away from home. Following defeats at Mansfield (1-4), Rotherham (2-4), Torquay (1-3), it was the turn of Scarborough to put four past the City defence to record their first-ever league victory over the Blues. “They’ve let themselves down,” fumed Ratcliffe. “It was the worst performance of the season and I’d drop them all if I had the resources. They were silent on the bus on the way home – and so they should be. I’m making no excuses for last night’s performance.

We’ve not competed and I could have taken any one of 11 off. We didn’t deserve to win. We got exactly what we deserved from the game. I can’t even bring one in although after last night I’d like to bring in 11.

Chester now have to pick themselves up for the difficult game with Macclesfield on Saturday. They’ve had a terrific start to their first league season and are sure to test City’s shaky defence to the limit.

Both Gary Shelton and Ronnie Sinclair (left) are expected to receive a one match ban following their dismissals at Torquay on Saturday, the ban will take effect on November 1st with visit to the Deva of Rochdale. Shelton was dismissed for a second bookable offence and Sinclair for handling the ball outside the area. There were also bookings or Nick Richardson and Spencer Whelan. Whelan’s booking brought his season’s total to five and he will now receive a 3-match ban also starting against Rochdale.

The referee at the centre of Saturday’s events was non other than Robert Styles, the Waterlooville referee who controversially handled City’s play-off match at Swansea at the end of last season. Kevin Ratcliffe was furious at the final whistle “I can’t say too much because I’ll get punished,” said Ratcliffe. “There were only 16 fouls in the game yet we’ve seen seven bookings and two sendings off and it wasn’t even a dirty game. He’s sent Gary Shelton off and he didn’t even touch the lad and then, tongue-in-cheek, he’s said to one of our lads ’Don’t worry I won’t send your keeper off!’’’ – not long after he did!

City will be desperately looking for cover with long term injuries to Shaun Reid and Ross Davidson. Ratcliffe is keen to sign former Everton pro Chris Price, who is currently on trial at the club. But cash – and lack of it – is again the major stumbling block.

Kevin Ratcliffe has praised City striker Gary Bennett (left) after he took his goals total for the season to nine in eleven games.
“£50,000 for Benno is money well spent,” said Ratcliffe, who was uncertain whether to play his star striker because of the pending court case.

Former Sheffield Wednesday defender Ian Knight is suing Bennett for a tackle that he claimed ruined his career ten years ago. “I asked Benno if he was alright to play – and he never had a doubt,” added Ratcliffe. The 35-year-old striker has now scored in every home league game – eight goals in six games. He is the second top scorer in Division Three and his latest two goal salvo came despite suffering from a stomach upset. “It was touch and go whether I’d play,” said Bennett.

City’s 2-0 win moved them up into fourth place in the table. “It’s nice to be in contention,” added Ratcliffe, who admits that his team have yet to hit top form. “Our home form is excellent – 16 points from 18 and if only we’d picked up a couple more points away we’d be even higher. But it’s early doors yet and we’ve just got to keep going.” City now face two grueling away trips to the seaside at Torquay and Scarborough, as they bid to pick up some points away from the Deva that will keep them in contention with the leading pack.

City full back Ross Davidson will soon have to undergo an operation for a hernia. The defender, who came off injured at Rotherham, has decided though to play this Saturday through the pain. This latest injury blow is going to stretch City’s resources to the limit, with midfielder Nick Richardson playing at right back on Saturday and again last night for the reserves. Two goals from John Murphy and one from Stuart Rimmer gave the reserves a 3-1 victory over Chesterfield in that game at the Deva. Both players are pushing for the right to play alongside Gary Bennett in the City forward line – Rod McDonald, who is playing well but is yet to score this season, is currently Bennett’s forward partner. At least the performance of the attack seems encouraging, it’s the defence that has to be tightened up Manager Kevin Ratcliffe played alongside Julian Alsford last night, after deciding against risking Spencer Whelan who is already one booking away from a three match suspension.