We last played the original City on Boxing Day 2009 with a 2-0 win to ourselves but already the writing was on the wall for the men from Deva due to corruption from within bringing a once proud club to its knees. A few months later and the club had folded with a twenty five point deduction, ownership in turmoil, the fans leaving in droves and their playing record for that season expunged meaning the three points and two goals we had gained had now been taken from us.
Read the complete story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester_City_F.C.
Now they're back but the high hopes of continuing their superb run at the top level has bitten the dust with three straight defeats, no goals, a sending off in the second game and the fans in trouble due to the use of smoke bombs during games.It's up to us to make sure that bad luck continues.
Steve Burr should have a full squad at his disposal and will also have a minor problem with deciding who sits on the bench after Jack Byrne came off it at Braintree last Saturday to set up Kyle Storer with a late, late winning goal. Again we had dominated a side during the first half but had failed to make our superiority count with a hat full of goals. Come the second half and the opposition have us worked out and proceed to nullify our threat.
As for Chester their manager, Neil Young, is looking for a couple of loan players before the game in an effort to get their campaign up and running. They seem to be lacking in every department with the strikers being the most obvious one.
They have a ruck of ex Harriers playing for them with two of them capable of getting goals. The obvious one is Marc Williams but, as we know, he is far from being prolific even though you can't deny that he's a trier. Craig Lindfield is also with them now following his release from Accrington, from whom he came to us on loan.
The most well known 'old boy' is of course John Danby (right) who spent five years with us and became something of a crowd favourite (if you can forgive him for a game at Grays once upon a time). He's sure to receive a good welcome from the North Stand on his arrival in the goal at that end.
Also with Chester is Jamie Reed. He was linked with us last season at around the time that Michael Gash arrived at the club on loan from Cambridge. I think Steve Burr made the correct decision.
The game tomorrow is the first of a Bank Holiday double header with a visit to Nuneaton for us on Monday. I expect us to be too strong for a Chester side hoping to halt their bad run and another defeat for them looks likely.
Photo © KHFC
Teams:
Harriers from:
Lewis, N Vaughan, L Vaughan, Grimes, Dunkley, Demetriou, Gowling, Tolley, Storer, Fowler, Jackman, Lolley, Angus, Dance, Johnson, Malbon, Gittings, Gash, Blissett.
Chester from:
Danby, Fearon, Kay, Heath, Horan, Linwood, Harrison, Reed, Jarrett, Mills, M Williams, Lindfield, L Turner, McIntyre, N Turner, A Williams, Seddon, Pugh, Mahon, Titchiner.
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