Wadsworth departs the Deva

The revolving door at the Deva Stadium continued in full swing today, as Mick Wadsworth became the latest in a long line of Managers to exit the club whilst working under Stephen Vaughan.

Wadsworth has only spent 94 days in the job, but that is enough for Vaughan, who has now parted company with 12 managers during his reign at the club, an absolutely shocking statistic, and one where Vaughan needs to question his own business acumen in the role as owner of Chester City FC, if indeed he is actually the owner of Chester City FC.

So, the club are heading for relegation, and now without a Manager once again, and a person totally lacking in business sense at the helm.

Oh it's such good fun being a Chester City fan.

Chester City 1 Forest Green 2

Well that was a load of garbage wasn't it?

Chester had the chance to offer themselves a semi-realistic chance of escaping the drop had they beaten a Forest Green side last night that had only just clinched their first victory of the season on Saturday.

But in true City style, they blew it thanks to a poor performance against their fellow strugglers, who on the back of this scoreline, move out of the bottom four, whilst Chester now languish 24 points from safety, and are certainly now heading towards Blue Square North football next season.

Mick Wadsworth was a frustrated man along with the rest of us last night, as Chester simply didn't turn up, amazing really considering how they battled in the draw at Wrexham on Sunday. This was another simply unacceptable showing from the Blues who deserved what they got in a shambolic first half performance, which gifted Forest Green all the space in the world to take a 2-0 lead.

You would have thought the lads would have known how much was riding on this result - maybe they thought the win would come their way with the minimum of effort, but whatever the case, they certainly under-estimated Forest Green.

The Gloucestershire outfit certainly started the busier of the two teams, and it was no surprise when Conal Platt gave them the lead with a well taken finish on 18 minutes, however, he was given all the time and space to pick his spot.

Sean Rigg then made it 2-0 eight minutes before half time with another fine effort, and that pretty much wrote City's chances off, and a crescendo of boos was heard from the home support, with another blast at half time form the unhappy 1000 City fans inside the Deva.

Kevin Roberts pulled one back for City just five minutes after the restart with a header from a corner, and hope was offered, but Gregg Blundell who came on as a substitute at half time had a chance as he chased down a ball in the penalty area, but his shot was saved by the Forest Green keeper.

That was pretty much that, and City failed to get level before the final whistle went, and the disgruntled Blues fans made their way home after yet another sorry home defeat.

Previous defeats at the Deva had been to top half sides, but this one was a game City had to win, and failed, and are now staring down the barrel of relegation.

City out to cut the Forest down

Chester City go in the search of 3 badly needed points tonight at home to Forest Green, at the Deva Stadium.

It’s a match that the Blues must win as they aim to reduce their deficit at the bottom of the Blue Square Premier League, and fresh from the draw at Wrexham on Saturday, confidence will hopefully be there as the Blues have shown that they are getting harder to beat, something they need to turn into wins though.

Forest Green arrive at the Deva having just secured their first win of the season at home to Grays on Saturday, and will be looking to improve on a record that has seen them pick up just 2 points in 6 away games, mind you one of those was at Oxford in a rare slip by the Conference leaders. That win against Grays followed 4 successive draws.

Forest Green took a thrashing at the start of the month at Cambridge, going down 7-0 and the Blues fans will hold dreams of a similar scoreline tonight, a highly unlikely one though, considering Chester are having issues scoring goals!

The Blues have lost 4 games at the Deva this season, although it could be argued that the standard of opposition in those defeats was pretty high, but one thing is certain, Chester must win this game tonight to give themselves a fighting chance of escaping the drop this season.

A win tonight and City will go to -11 points, and on to Saturday’s game at hayes & Yeading with confidence of getting into single figures.

As for City’s line up tonight, well Chris Lynch will obviously be missing following his injury in the Wrexham derby, Sean Kelly is expected to take his place, whilst in the middle, Clark Keitle will make his home debut following the loanee’s move from Rochdale, and up front there is debate over whether Gregg Blundell should start following his performance in the Wrexham game, Lloyd Ellams is on standby.

So, hopefully City will take the points tonight and City can begin to make a real challenge to escape the drop!

Wrexham 0 Chester City 0

Chester City maintained their away record, as they notched their fifth draw in a row away from the Deva, but it could have been oh so better as City missed a great opportunity to win at the Racecourse for the firts time in League football for 31 years.

Gregg Blundell contrived to miss a great chance in front of goal midway through the first half, as City pretty much dominated proceedings in the first 45 minutes of the game, but failed to take advantage, as the ball came right across the face of goal only for Blundell to side foot wide of an open goal.

City fans had given their side much backing from before the game as the 900 travelling fans got behind their side to try to back them to victory in another banter-filled local derby.

City had claims for a penalty waved away when a touch of shirt pulling was going on in the first half, as the referee decided against giving City a decision, in fact, he was quite consistent in that alright!!

Wrexham found themselves restricted to long range efforts, and raeely troubled Chester keeper John Danby, who had to be treated once again for a re-occurence of his shoulder injury.

The Blues lost Adam Lynch to a suspected cruciate injury, as he went to ground in the first 45 minutes, and had to be substituted.

City should have been 1-0 up after just 3 minutes of this encounter, as Gregg Blundell was penalised for what seemed a fair jump with the Wrexham goalkeeper, where the ball fell loose to Nick Chadwick who headed home to send the Blues fans into raptures until it was realised that the referee's whistle had gone already for a foul, which remains an unconvincing decision.

Wrexham though, did come forward in the second half, but despite a flurry of corners midway through the Second half, couldn't get past a resolute City defence, and towards the end of the game, it was Chester who were growing stronger once again, and were unlucky not to get a win from the game.

Trouble flared up outside the game, as the police made a mess of things, as both sets of fans squared up to each other, how would they cope if they had a serious crowd on their hands???

So this local derby - the only international league derby - ended in a goalless draw, but City will take heart from their performance, as they move onto -14 points, and next up is a home game on Tuesday at the Deva Stadium, against Forest Green.

City get ready for big derby

It's derby time once again as Chester & Wrexham face each other at the Racecourse Ground on Sunday, at Noon.

Chester are up against it of course, still 15 points from breaking even this season, and following Wrexham's 3-0 victory over Luton on Tuesday night, the task to get a positive result from this match seems all the more harder now.

But, the City faithful will make their way up the A483 on Sunday morning knowing that they will back the lads before, during, and hopefully after kick off.

There is talk that the players are not getting fully paid at the moment, which is shocking considering the club has only just come out of Administration, and surely goes to show that either Stephen Vaughan no longer has the funds to keep Chester City going, or even worse, is just plain refusing to put the money in, and not sell up, helping to see the club die on its feet.

But back on the pitch, we are set hopefully for a blood and thunder derby, City have to be up for this one, no doubt about it, we have seen some weak performances from the Blues this season, but they have to be strong in this one if they stand any chance of winning the game.

The last derby of course ended 2-2 at the Racecourse, with goals from Kevin Roberts - and what a beauty it was - and the other a powerful headed from ex Wrexham player Paul Linwood. How we could do with that kind of performance or result on Sunday.

News filtering through unofficially is that Chester are set to sign Rochdale midfielder Clarke Keltie, who if he signs is expected to go straight into the team on Sunday, as City look to bolster the area that is so badly missing talent.

Chester are expected to have over 500 fans backing them on Sunday, in what will surely be the lowest attended derby for some time, and is certainly the first non league derby between the two in their history, so at least some kind of history is made at the weekend, let's hope Chester get their first League win in 31 years at Wrexham.

Come on City!!

Salisbury City 1 Chester City 1

Chester's inability to net three points struck again, as they squandered a lead held against the run of play at the Ray Mac, against a Salisbury side that had also been deducted points this season.

Salisbury though had already managed to pick up 10 points prior to their 10 point deduction, and have since netted 5 points since the penalty, with this being the latest point gained.

City took the lead against the run of play just 11 minutes from time after Ben Wilkinson had struck his third goal of the season after being set up by Kevin Roberts.

The Blues though couldn't hold out, and just 3 minutes later Luke Roddick crossed and caused John Danby problems, and fell awkwardly, and Sean Clohessy knocked the ball home to level for Salisbury, whilst Danby had to receive treatment from the paramedics, and eventually left the field on a stretcher which means he is a doubt for Sunday's derby match at Wrexham.

Andrew Murphy came on and played the remaining minutes, in which Salisbury were denied a winner thanks to a flag going up for offside in the 95th and final minute of the game.

So, City are now down to -15 points, but it really could have been -13 with a better defensive mentality after the goal went in, but that's where Chester are, and whilst we've made it into double figures for this season's tally, City remain 22 points away from safety.

Chester City 0 Stevenage Borough 1

Chester once again failed to win their second successive game, no surprise as they haven't done that for over 90 games now!

Stevenage were too strong for City, and earned their win thanks to a 7th minute goal from Michael Bostwick, who volleyed home the winner, with a bit of the post and John Danby combining to send the ball into the back of the net.

Chester had no answer to Stevenage, and in fact the away side, who now move up to second in the Blue Square Premier League, hit the post just before half time.

City's best chance fell to Nick Chadwick, but his header was easily saved by keeper Chris Day, in what was a disappointing result once again for the Blues.

It means City are stuck on -16 in the table, and remain 23 points away from safety, but with one less game remaining of course.

The alarming aspect of this game, was not the result, but the fact that the numbers in the home crowd have dropped to 969, and fans who had attended in the Harry McNally Terrace ended up sitting down to watch the action, such is the lack of enthusiasm around the place right now.

So, Chester now have to pick themselves up once again, and get ready to face Salisbury tomorrow evening, before they then think of the local derby against Wrexham on Sunday, at the Racecourse.