Chester: Griffiths, Waters, Grand, Jones,
Taylor, Jackson, Burton, Glendon, Dudley, Hughes (Waring
68), Asante. Subs not used: Roberts, Elliott, Mahon, Elliott. Leamington: Weaver, English, Hood, Mace,
Lane (Keane 68), Taylor (Dunbar 34), Clarke, Carline,
Anderson, Edwards, March. Subs not used: Shamsi, Flanagan,
Gittings. Referee: Matt Corlett.
Chester
twice came from behind and had Matty Waters to thank for
a point following his last minute goal. Chester made no
fewer than five changes to the side knocked out of the
FA Cup at Altrincham with both Akwasi Asante and Matty
Hughes starting up front.
It was the visitors who started on the front foot with
Jack Edwards shooting high in to the Harry Macc terrace
following a headed knockdown. Russell Griffiths reacted
quickly to cut out Connor Taylor’s dangerous cross,
and it came as no surprise when the Brakes took the lead
on 15 minutes as Josh March prodded the ball home from
six yards out following a long throw-in.
Four minutes later Chester were level as James Jones rose
to head home a Joel Taylor corner. March had the ball
in the net again minutes later but referee Matt Corlett
had already blown his whistle for a foul.
The Brakes were awarded a penalty on 30 minutes as Jones
fouled March in the box but the Leamington striker stepped
up and blasted his effort high and wide of the goal.
Within 20 seconds of the second period starting the Blues
were ahead as George Glendon took advantage of an Anthony
Dudley pass to fire past Jake Weaver in the Brakes goal.
However Chester's leaded lasted just four minutes as Edwards
looped a header past Griffiths from a Joe Clarke free-kick.
With twelve minutes remaining Leamington restored their
lead as Kaiman Anderson raced onto a long through ball
and lifted it over the advancing Griffiths.
Joel taylor blasted a free-kick over as Chester pressed
for a third goal. With the match entering stoppage time
a foul on Simon Grand just outside the box presented the
Blues with another effort. Up stepped Matty Waters to
score via the underside of the bar to rescue a point that
keeps Chester in second place.
Tuesday
24 September Altrincham
1 Chester 0 FA
Cup Second Qualifying Round replay
Attendance: 942 (243 Chester) Half Time: 1-0
Booked: Mahon, G.Roberts.
A
James Jones headed goal is enough to knock Chester out
of the FA Cup as Altrincham progress to play Halesowen
Town in the next round.
Chester made four changes to the starting X1 that drew
1-1 on Saturday, in came Gary Roberts, George Waring,
Craig Mahon and Danny Elliott to replace Joel Taylor,
Akwasi Asante, Anthony Dudley and Matty Hughes.
The game was just two minutes old when Jones headed home
an Ashley Hemmings corner past Russell Griffiths at the
near post to give Alty the advantage. Jordan Hulme almost
added a second minutes later as he was inches away from
connecting with John Johnston’s cross.
Chester slowly got back into the game and Waring and Matty
Waters both saw efforts from the edge of the area blocked.
Waring again had a sniff of goal but dragged a shot wide
on 18 minutes when well placed.
Russell Griffiths made a great save to deny Hulme at the
other end with Gary Roberts well placed to clear the follow-up
off the line.
Five minutes before the break Chester suffered another
injury with Danny Livesey hobbling off to be replaced
by James Jones.
On 50 minutes the Blues thought they were level as Waring
headed home a George Glendon cross at the far post only
for referee Dean Watson to disallow the goal, presumably
for pushing.
Once again Griffiths was called into action to make great
save to deny Ashley Hemmings with Waters mopping up before
Hulme could latch on to the loose ball.
Danny
Elliott headed wide from a Waters through ball, and
a timely tackle from Andy White denied Waring another
chance on goal as time began to run out for the Blues.
It was the home side in fact who created two late chances
that Griffiths and his defence kept out before watson
blew for full time to end this season’s run in
the competition at the first hurdle.
The
Blues were without the injured Kevin Roberts and the suspended
Jamie Morgan for the tie, as a result Matty Waters made
his first start of the season at right back.
Once
again, as in recent games, Chester got off to a great
start and opened the scoring after just two minutes
as George Glendon, who recently extended his contract
at Chester, slipped the ball to Matty Hughes who shot
into the bottom corner from fully 20 yards giving Tony
Thompson no chance in goal.
Danny Livesey needed treatment after
a clash of heads as Chester dominated possession but
couldn’t create any more chances.
Josh Hancock headed over the bar for the visitors following
a 22nd minute corner. Minutes before the break Bradley
Jackson made a fine probing run down the right only
to be denied by a last ditch Tom Hannigan tackle.
Hulme missed a great chance to equalise for Altrincham
as the first half drew to a close, as he poked the ball
just wide from a corner that the Blues defence had failed
to clear.
Chester brought on Iwan Murray and James Jones for Scott
Burton and Joel Taylor at the start of the second period.
Akwasi Asante almost grabbed a second
goal straight after half-time volleying straight at
Thompson after collecting a great Jackson pass.
A great save from Russell Griffiths prevented Hulme
from finding the net as he raced onto a through ball,
the Blues ‘keeper needed treatment for a bloodied
nose that saw the game stopped for 11 minutes.
The Altrincham equaliser came on 75
minutes as Hulme crossed for Hancock to head past Griffiths
into the far corner.
Chester responded as Livesey saw a
back post header saved by Thompson and with minutes
remaining Jackson cut inside only to see his left-footed
effort curl just inches wide of the post.
But there was to be no way through for the Blues, and
the two sides must battle it out again on Tuesday night
at Moss Lane for the right to travel to Halesowen Town
in the next round.
Rate
Chester’s performance
Saturday
14 September AFC
Telford United 1 Chester 3
National League North
Attendance: 2,085 (775 Chester) Half Time: 0-2
Booked: Grand.
Sent-off: Morgan.
AFC Telford United: Wycherley, White,
Streete (Lait 58), Deeney, Sutton, Lilly, Daniels, Walker
(McQuilkin 68), Dinanga, Williams (Reilly 68), Knights.
Subs not used: Royle, Brown. Chester: Griffiths, Morgan, Livesey,
Grand, Taylor, Burton, Glendon, Jackson, Dudley (Elliott
72), Asante (Waring 70) Hughes (G.Roberts 67). Subs not
used: Mahon, Jones. Referee: Ed Duckworth.
A
perfect hat-trick from Akwasi Asante made for a perfect
day out for the 775 Chester fans who made their presence
felt at the New Bucks Head on a glorious September afternoon.
To cap off their day out,
Chester were on top of the National League North for
a few minutes, which cued the return of the ‘top
of the league’ chant we’ve not heard for
a long time. If City continue to play in the way they
approached this Telford game, it won't be long before
that refrain is heard again. As it was, the Blues finished
this match in the runner-up spot.
While hat-trick hero Asante was the
star man of the game, there were great supporting roles
from Matty Hughes and Brad Jackson. In fact, Hughes
provided the cross that enabled Asante to head for home
on the 11th minute.
Although Telford had started the match
as a confident home side, they were very much on the
back foot after that. Just 11 minutes after that opening
goal, another Asante goal made the game look lost for
the hosts. This time the pass to Asante came from Joel
Taylor, and while the frontman’s initial strike
was saved by Telford keeper Andrew Wycherley, he made
no trouble finding the net from the rebound.
The half-time break gave Chester fans
time to work out when Asante’s next goal would
come, according to his goals-to-matchtime averages.
In the end, he did secure that hat-trick just before
the predicted time of 61 minutes. It was Brad Jackson’s
turn to be supplier after a fantastic run from the half-way
line and a well-placed cross saw Asante find the net
after another Wycherley rebound in front of a delirious
travelling army.
There were just two moments to spoil
the day for the away supporters. First a cross from
Telford’s Chris Lait saw Lewis Reilly score with
a header to give Chester a nervy final 20 minutes.
The flying Dutchman was substituted
for George Waring on the 70th minute and his walk to
the dressing room, past the packed away terrace, gave
his supporters a chance for a handshake and a selfie
or two!
But a red card for Jamie Morgan
after a questionable challenge on Lait on the 81st minute
bought the away nerves back into focus. However the
10-man Blues held out to earn another three points on
their travels and a move up to second place in the National
League North.
With
Danny Livesey suspended for this match Chester managers
Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley opted to select Salford
loanee James Jones to partner Simon Grand in the centre
of the defence.
Once again Chester got off to a great start against a
team lying one place below them in the table. The game
was just two minutes old when Bradley Jackson racing down
the right crossed the ball for Matty Hughes, he set up
Akwasi Asante who couldn’t miss from a couple of
yards out.
Kevin Roberts pulled up with a hamstring problem in the
first ten minutes and was replaced by summer signing from
Nantwich Town Jamie Morgan making his Blues debut.
Chester pushed for a second goal and almost got it through
Asante who was unlucky to see a superb effort cannon back
off a post. The Blues did double their lead though on
29 minutes as Morgan was upended in the box by Brad Nicholson
and Asante crashed the resulting spot-kick past Lloyd
Allinson, sending the Lions ‘keeper the wrong way.
Jones almost added a third just before
the break but his header from a corner was cleared off
the line by Reiss McNally.
The Blues were given a let-off early in the second per
ion when Guiseley’s top scorer Aaron Martin shot
over from inside the six yard box following a corner.
Scott Garner was also guilty of missing a great chance
for the visitors shooting high and wide after Russell
Griffiths had partially cleared a free kick.
Chester scored their third goal on 71 minutes as Anthony
Dudley took advantage of some slack defending before
rushing through on goal and slotting the ball past Allinson.
Eight minutes from time Guiseley
scored a consolation goal as Martin out-jumped Jones
to head a corner past Griffiths. The dying minutes saw
Allinson make two good saves to deny substitute George
Waring and Dudley before the final whistle saw the Blues
leave the pitch to a great reception from their fans.
The
beginning of September, the nights closing in and a continuous
drizzle descended on the Tameside Stadium as Chester continued
their busy schedule. After perusing the vast array of
non-League programmes in the club shop and deciding whether
or not to join the huge queue in front of the refreshment
kiosk, Cestrians gathered in the main stand and under
the large cover in the middle of the opposite terrace.
The Nash had made a moderate start
to the season with only one league win against Darlington
to their name so far but proved last season that they
are no pushovers. They included in their ranks a couple
of ex-City players – Sean Miller up front and
Andy Halls in midfield, with Liam Davies on the bench.
As the match kicked off City, all in yellow and still
smarting from controversial and late defeat at Spennymoor
a couple of days ago, began on the front foot. The hosts
were pinned back and only half cleared the first foray
when Taylor picked the ball up and got it to Glendon.
His deft cross to the far post found Grand who headed
it back for Hughes to nip in at the near post and flick
it home for an early lead. Glendon himself had an opportunity
to shoot after Asante had wrested the ball from a defender
but his effort eluded the far post.
Gradually the hosts clawed their way
back into the game and began to dominate possession.
As a cross was cleared out to Chester’s left,
Halls ran to retrieve it and spun to launch a cross
deep towards the far post. Regan rose to nod a looping
header past Griffiths for the equaliser. City then were
subject to an uncomfortable passage of play as the Nash
pinned them back, picking up on every clearance and
maintaining the pressure but without adding to the score.
As half time approached, City rallied a little. But
as spectators watched trains lit up like luminous caterpillars
trundle their way in and out of town and the queue for
refreshments moved even more slowly opposite, most thought
that the game was now in the balance.
Within minutes of the restart however,
City had grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck.
First Hughes lifted the ball over the full back for
Jackson to run on to and the winger made for the by-line,
and delayed his cross perfectly for Asante to pounce
and drive it in to goal at the near post. City –
with their tails up – went further ahead soon
after when Kevin Jones powered home a header from Taylor’s
corner kick.
Blues were now well in control but
the Nash tried valiantly to respond. Miller flashed
a shot across goal and Sinclair also shot wide whilst
Griffiths had to leave his line to deny Saunders. Taylor
continued to maraud down the left and set up Jackson
to seal it but the Chester winger pulled his shot narrowly
wide. Kevin Roberts gave a masterclass in defensive
full back play in front of delighted Blues fans and
Scott Burton capped a great display with astute positioning
to clear a Curzon effort off the line.
After the final whistle the City players
rejoiced in front of their exultant fans. As they sang
“we’re on our way…” Asante lead
the dancing. The travelling supporters made their way
off into the murky night with light hearts.
AWAY TIE FOR REPLAY WINNERS Should Chester win their replay, they have been handed an away tie in the Fourth Round Qualifying of the FA Cup at Scarborough Athletic.