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NEWS FROM DEVA STADIUM 2013

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MARCH
31 March 2013
FIVE STAR BLUES
A hat-trick from Tony Gray, the fourth Blues player to score three in a game this season, helped Chester to a stylish 5-1 victory at relegation threatened Colwyn Bay. Gray, named the Conference North Player of the month, gave the Blues a slender half-time advantage despite dominating for much of the opening half former Blues ‘keeper Chris Sanna was beaten only once.

After the break though, a wonderful curling Matty McGinn free-kick doubled the advantage, before a brace from Gray put the match beyond doubt. Bay reduced the deficit from the penalty spot before Antoni Sarcevic ran three quarters of the length of the pitch, leaving defenders in his wake to score the goal of the game in the last minute.

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

MIDFIELDER SIGNS
Chester have signed 21-year-old former Liverpool midfielder Michael Roberts. Roberts was released by Tranmere Rovers last summer having appeared in their reserve side. Roberts has a signed a non-contract deal until the end of the season,
29 March 2013
GUISELEY TICKETS
Chester’s forthcoming league match at Guiseley on Saturday 13 April is all ticket for Chester supporters. Tickets will go on sale to season ticket holders (use Voucher J) after Monday’s home match against Altrincham. They will remain on sale to season ticket holders only throughout next week, between 10.00 and 16.00hrs Tuesday-Friday and until 12.00 on Saturday. Any remaining tickets will go on general sale after the home game against Boston United this Saturday.

Chester have been allocated 1,200 tickets, 210 seats and 990 standing. The tickets are priced £10.00 for adults, £6.00 for concessions and £4.00 for under 16s.

28 March 2013
TRUNDLE JOINS MARINE
Lee Trundle has left the club to join Marine. Trundle made 2+2 appearances for Chester scoring one goal. Manager Neil Young said: “Lee wanted to play more and I can’t guarantee that. Marine can.”
25 March 2013
HALIFAX MATCH OFF
Tomorrow night’s league match at FC Halifax Town has been postponed. The game will now take place on Thursday 25 April, kick-off 19:45hrs.
NEW GAINSBOROUGH DATE
The away league match at Gainsborough Trinity, postponed on Saturday, will now take place on Thursday 4 April, kick-off 19:45hrs.
COLWYN BAY TICKETS
Tickets for Saturday’s league match at Colwyn Bay, kick-off 13:00hrs, go on general sale at Chester from today. Prices are: adults £11.00, concessions £6.00 and under 16’s £3.00. The ticket office is open on Monday-Thursday, no tickets will be sold after 20:00hrs on Thursday. No tickets will be on sale on the day of the game.
23 March 2013
MATCH OFF
Following an 08.15 pitch inspection today’s game at Gainsborough Trinity has been postponed due to the pitch being covered in snow. The Blues are next in action on Tuesday night with a trip to FC Halifax Town, kick-off 19.45hrs, weather permitting!
18 March 2013
CHESHIRE SENIOR CUP FINAL
The Cheshire FA website has confirmed that the Cheshire Senior Cup Final match against Stalybridge Celtic will take place at Wincham Park, the home of Witton Albion, on Wednesday 17 April. Admission prices are: adults £8.00, concessions £3.00 and accompanied children are free admission.
BLUES MARCH ON
Chester completed the double over Gloucester City with a 2-0 victory on Saturday stretching their unbeaten run of league games to 26. Chester maintained their 16 point lead over second placed Guiseley with the Yorkshire side having two games in hand. In-form striker Tony Gray opened the scoring and an own goal from Tom Hamblin gave the Blues a two goal advantage at half-time.

A delighted manager Neil Young told the Chester leader: “I told the lads in the dressing room before the game that it was important that we put a points total on the board for others to chase.”

“We’re now on 91 points which is one more point than the total that won the title last season from a good Hyde side, so I feel we’ve posted a target with eight games to go which is great credit to the players. I’m definitely thinking about the title because we’ve got to at this stage of the season, but we know what’s ahead of us and we know the job in hand.”

“I'm just glad that I’ve got a group of players who just turn up, play, and do their stuff. It doesn’t seem to matter what team I put out. I made seven changes in midweek, and I made four or five changes for the Harrogate match the previous weekend.”

“Everything looks so seamless because the players come in and take their chances.”

Chester are back in action on Saturday with a tricky trip to play-off chasing Gainsborough Trinity. The two sides met as recently at 27 February with Chester running out 3-1 winners over the Lincolnshire outfit.

League table after Gloucester match | More pictures

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)
13 March 2013
BLUES REACH COUNTY FINAL
Three quality second half goals from Marc Williams (2) and Lee Trundle eased Chester through to a Cheshire Senior Cup final tie against Stalybridge Celtic. This will be the first appearance in the final since 1932 when, during their first season as a league club, Chester beat Crewe Alexandra to lift the cup.

Trundle had two opportunities to score in the opening ten minutes but Albion ‘keeper Matthew Cooper saved on both occasions. Chances were few and far between in the first half with Witton’s Danny Andrews having the best for the visitors only to shoot straight at Martin Fearon in the Chester goal.

Williams (pictured) opened the scoring in the 66th minute with a fine half-volley following a george Horan lay-off, and six minutes later Trundle opened his Chester account with a exquisite lob over Cooper from the edge of the box. Trundle turned provider five minutes from time sending a through ball for Williams to run on to and shoot past Cooper.


Witton, captained by former Chester midfielder Michael Powell, were denied a consolation goal in the closing minutes by a good save from Fearon.

More pictures

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)
11 March 2013
BLUES EDGE CLOSER TO TITLE
Chester moved three points nearer to the Conference North title with a 3-1 victory at Harrogate Town on Saturday, stretching their unbeaten league run to a magnificent 25 games. The match, which passed an early afternoon pitch inspection, was played on a glue-pot of a pitch but both teams adapted well to provide an entertaining encounter. The victory leaves Chester 16 points clear from second placed Guiseley at the top having scored 88 goals and amassed 88 points in the process.

Nathan Jarman opened the scoring on 37 minutes with an acrobatic overhead kick that slipped through the hands of Town ‘keeper Craig MacGillivray and crossed the line before it was cleared by the home defence. Eleven minutes after the restart Tony Gray doubled the lead with a smart looping header over MacGillivray following a pinpoint left wing cross from Matty McGinn. McGinn himself added a the third chesting home a Dave Hankin cross at the far post, having been unlucky moments before seeing a superb free-kick bounce out from the crossbar. The hosts pulled a goal back with a well taken Dominic Knowles free-kick.

A delighted manager Neil Young told the Chester Chronicle: “I said to them beforehand, forget about the conditions, the game is on, and if you want to win this league you’ve got to come to places like this, win – not draw – and show me what you are made of.”


“So to beat Harrogate, who are a good side, in the way we did, restricting them to little and creating numerous chances, was fantastic. It epitomised the belief, energy and mentality within the dressing room.”

Chester are next in action on Wednesday night when they entertain Witton Albion in the semi-final of the Cheshire Senior Cup, kick-off 19:45hrs. The admission prices are: £7.00 for adults, £5.00 for concessions and £3.00 for children, accompanied children are admittedfree.

League table after Harrogate match | More pictures

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)
DIRECTOR RESIGNS
Club director Bill Smith has resigned after controversially describing the attendance of 820 for last weeks Cheshire Senior Cup home game against Tranmere Rovers as “disgusting”.

Smith told the Chester Chronicle after the match: He said: “The fact that we only had 800 spectators is disgusting. The board kept admission down to £7, it was a nice night, there was no game on Saturday and high class opposition should have made for a bumper crowd. We are having a fantastic year and it is really disappointing that crowds have not increased.”

The club board were quick to distance themselves from his comments issuing their own statement: “The Chester FC board of directors would like to thank all fans for their continued excellent support this season. This was epitomised by a strong turnout for the Cheshire Cup competition earlier in the week, surpassing estimations of the vast majority of the board.”


A CFU statement was released at the weekend: “The board would like to thank Bill for efforts during his time as a director, after being elected to the board in 2011.”


7 March 2013
COLWYN BAY TICKETS
Chester have been allocated 1,500 tickets for the league match at Colwyn Bay on Saturday 30 March. The tickets are priced at: £11.00 for adults, £6.00 for concessions and £3.00 for under 16’s, and will go on sale following the home game against Gloucester City on Saturday 16 March. The remaining tickets will go on gereral sale from Monday 25 March. The match is segregated and has a 13:00hrs kick-off time.

6 March 2013
CHESHIRE CUP SEMI-FINAL
Chester will play their home semi-final against Witton Albion next week on Wednesday 13 March, kick-off 19:45hrs. Admission prices are to be confirmed. The other semi-final will be between Stalybridge Celtic and Northwich Victoria and is being played next Tuesday.

5 March 2013
GEORGE BOOKS SEMI PLACE
A goal ten minutes into extra-time by captain George Horan gave Chester a 1-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers in their quarter-final Cheshire Senior Cup tie.

A crowd of 820 saw an entertaining game with the visitors fielding a side that contained six players with first team experience this season.

Antoni Sarcevic, Matty McGinn and Iain Howard all came close to breaking the deadlock during the 90 minutes before Horan collected a Howard pass to turn and shoot past Jason Mooney in the Rovers goal, the ball taking a slight deflection on the way into the net.

Picture � Rick Matthews (Chester Leader)

4 March 2013
CHESHIRE CUP
Chester entertain Tranmere Rovers tonight in the Cheshire Cup, the winners will receive a home tie against Witton Albion in the semi-final’s.

The admission costs tonight are: £7.00 for adults, £5.00 for concessions and £3.00 for children attending without an adult. Children who attend with an adult are admitted free. Extra time and penalties will be used if needed to settle the quarter-final tie tonight which will kick off at 19:45hrs.

BLUES LEAD MAINTAINED
Brackley Town did Chester a favour on Saturday with a 2-0 victory of second placed Guiseley at Nethermore. The home defeat for the Lions leaves them 19 points behind Neil Young’s side with three matches in hand, one of those being a trip to Corby Town on Wednesday night.

League table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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