Sunday 29 November 2009

Police abandon Eastbourne match after Protests



Chester City's match against Eastbourne Borough at the Deva Stadium on Saturday, was interrupted and eventually abandoned following peaceful protests from Chester City fans angry at the way Stephen Vaughan has toyed around with Chester City Football Club.


The club are on the brink of being kicked out of the league, and possibly verging on closure due to the fact that monies are owed to the club's football creditors.

Chester had taken a 3-2 lead at the Deva before protesters made their way on to the pitch for a second time in the game, the first being in the opening half of the game.

Shouts of "Vaughan Out" were then prominent from the supporters, who quite clearly have had enough of the Liverpudlian Boxing promoter, and flags and banners were also unfurled on the pitch, before both stewards and police were forced to intervene.

Criticism of Cheshire Police was rife, following their decision to force the abandonment of the game based on the small protest, and in general failing to control a crowd of under 900.

City had taken the lead in the first ten minutes through an Anthony Barry belter from 20 yards, but was soon levelled up by a long range effort from Liam Enver-Marum.

Lloyd Ellams then put City 2-1 ahead, before Borough again equalized through Kayne McLaggon, and just when thoughts seemed to be turning towards more points being thrown away, Nick Chadwick popped up with a header to make it 3-2, before the second protest of the game got underway.

It remains to be seen what the authorities will do regarding the abandonement, but as this could have been the fans last chance to make their voices heard before Monday's crunch deadline, they can be forgiven for doing what they had to do, in a bid to raise the spotlight on Chester City Football Club - something they have succeeded with considering the story being covered nationally.

Wednesday 25 November 2009

City go down to fourth straight defeat

It doesn't get any easier for City does it?
Four defeats in a row now after Stevenage Borough inflicted more pain and misery onto Chester fans, who are now believing the end is near.
City went down 2-0 at the Conference high flyers, thanks to goals from Yemi Odubade & Mark Roberts, and leaves Chester still searching for those 4 points that will take them back to "zero", but more importantly leaves City 22 points from safety.
Jimmy Harvey praised his men though, believing that Chester acquitted themselves well, and unfortunate not to get anything out of the game.
The fact remains though that City are so far behind, that most are giving up any hope of remaining a Blue Square Premier League team next season, as the games slip away.

Saturday 14 November 2009

Blues defeated at Tamworth but given Payment Extension

The Football Conference have given Chester City an extension to the deadline of Monday 16th November, to pay off their footballing creditors, which include Wrexham, Vauxhall Motors, and the PFA.


The club has now been given a further 2 weeks to find the cash, and that takes it to the 30th November, which is after the date that the Company Director ban on Stephen Vaughan kicks in.

This now means that Chester will have 2 games at home before the 30th November, which could raise the money from the home game takings.

All this comes after the Blues slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Tamworth.

Chester completed their third away game in a row with a second successive defeat, this time at Tamworth, following their defeat at York on Tuesday night.


Hopes were high of a Blues win knowing that Tamworth had lost their last 6 games, but the tables were turned, and the hosts took the lead thanks to a goal from Neil Mackenzie, which was levelled by Mark Beesley early into the second half.

City fell behind again though, to a goal from Simon Brown, signed yesterday, and the game was effectively over when Nick Wright finished the Blues off with a goal 15 minutes from time.

It leaves City on minus 4 points, and 19 points from safety in the Blue Square Premier League having now played 20 games.

Thursday 12 November 2009

City lose away record in defeat at York

Chester City lost their good record on the road, in a 3-2 defeat at Kit Kat Crescent, as York's Richard Brodie netted a hat trick to become the Blue Square Premier League joint top scorer on 17 goals.
It didn't take long for his first, just 33 seconds had passed when Brodie fired home from close range to put the Minstermen one up, and half an hour later, he grabbed his second from the penalty spot after Neil Ashton had dragged Brodie down.

City went in at half time two down, and came back out hoping for an early goal to get them back in the game, but it went the other way, as Brodie completed his hat trick just two minutes into the second half, slotting home past John Danby to make it 3-0.


At this point you'd have been forgiven for thinking that the game was over, but City sub Anthony Barry, on for midfielder James Owen, who was replaced mid way through the first half, smashed in a shot from 30 yards to give the Blues some hope.

Sadly they couldn't get another until the last minute of stoppage time, when defender Shaun Kelly nodded homs past ex-Wrexham goalkeeper Mike Ingham, but the final whistle went soon after, and Chester had been beaten 3-2.

Jimmy Harvey was understandably disappointed, "we didn't comepet in the first half, and looked weak through the middle", and was also unhappy at a penalty decision which wasn't given for City.

Harvey also admitted that 'concentration' was possibly an issue, but said that the changes in the side hadn't helped.

City are next in action on Saturday, away to Tamworth, who have fallen away since their excellent start this season, which included a 2-1 victory over City at the Deva Satadium earlier this season.

Monday 9 November 2009

Chadwick double helps City to third successive League win

Chester recorded their third League win in a row as they beat Grays 3-1 at the Recreation Ground, and now jump to within four points of wiping out the 25 points deduction inflicted by the Football Conference at the beginning of the season.


City headed to Essex on the back of League wins over Gateshead & Wimbledon, and were clearly in the mood to notch a trio of wins.

The game at Grays was supposed to be the first of the season, but was of course delayed thanks to the Football Association not giving the Blues a licence to play football.

City started brightly, and took the lead through Michael Coulson, on loan from Barnsley, following a measured ball from Kevin Roberts.

Grays pegged Chester back though, just minutes later, as the giant Folawiyo Onibuje towered above the City defence to level the game up.


Thankfully it wasn't long before the Blues got their noses in front again, as just before half time, Nick Chadwick took full advantage of a slip by Grays keeper Preston Edwards, to knock the ball home, and put City ahead at the break.

The clincher came again from Nick Chadwick, who scored the all important third from inside the box following more great work from the ever lively Coulson, and the goal ensured Chester would take the points home on their long journey back home.

It's great to see that since the appointment of Jim Harvey, that City have gone on the attack agains teams, something which we all thought we'd see earlier on in the season, based on the 25 point deduction meaning a "we've nothing to lose" attitude.

City are back in action again tomorrow night in their second of three away games in a row, as they travel to York, who currently sit four points off the play off positions, and are in confident mood themselves having knocked Crewe out of the FA Cup at the weekend.

Let's keep all fingers crossed for a Blues win that would take them to within one point of the "zero" milestone.

Friday 6 November 2009

City face Grays in big match for Blues

Tomorrow sees City begin the first of three away games on the bounce, with the trip to Grays, the match that should have been City's first game of the season.

It was of course postponed thanks to the mess up with the paperwork linked to the transfer from the old company to new following the Administration case.

Grays are one the clubs that are in the bottom four along with Chester, and are currently 19 points clear of the Blues, and City know that a win for City would not only haul them closer to Grays, but would also bring them possibly closer to the moving safety mark, which right now is 22 points, with Hayes & Yeading, and Gateshead being the main targets.

Chester go into the game on a high, having secured their first back to back league wins sequence in 99 games, unbelievable that it could go on that long, but the victory over Wimbledon at the Deva last week, proved that their is life in the Blues yet, and manager Jimmy Harvey seems to have put his own style of attacking football on the club now, something tat we all wanted earlier on in the season.

City are still facing injury worries though, with Anthony Barry receiving treatment at Tranmere Rovers, thanks to the Blues inexcusably not having a physio on the books following the resignation last week from their previous one, who is rumoured to have not been paid, hence the reason for quitting the club.

Michael Lea is also out injured, and Harvey is looking to fix him with somewhere to help bring him back to fitness.

Gregg Blundell will be hoping to add to his goal in last weekend's game over Wimbledon, as City will possibly go with three up front once again, which worked so well last week, Nick Chadwick and Michael Coulson are expected to start.

Let's hope for another win for the Blues, as that break even point of "Zero" points gets closer and closer, remember it's just seven points away now!