City Desperate For Win
By John Newsome January 23 2004
It's top v bottom in the Conference, but as was shown in the Premiership a week ago, the potential for a shock remains. City will be aiming to prove that the table does not lie.
By John Newsome January 23 2004
It's top v bottom in the Conference, but as was shown in the Premiership a week ago, the potential for a shock remains. City will be aiming to prove that the table does not lie.
Top of the table Chester City travel to bottom club Northwich Victoria tomorrow desperate to regain some momentum having faltered in their title bid in recent weeks. And while a trip to Northwich’s temporary home at Witton Albion would appear to provide them with the ideal opportunity to do just that, the Blues will be taking nothing for granted given, amongst other things, their recent history against their Cheshire rivals. Furthermore, as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ shock win over Manchester United demonstrated last weekend, a fixture against the table toppers provides the basement boys with no shortage of incentive to prove a point.
City’s 4-0 drubbing of the Vics earlier this season, memorable as it was, fails to mask the fact that, over the past three seasons, Northwich have enjoyed the upper hand in fixtures between the two clubs. One of their finest hours was when they secured the double over Steve Mungall’s beleagured outfit in 2001/2, although it could be argued that those results did City a favour in the long run, firstly in accelerating the departure of Mungall, and secondly in convincing the new manager, Mark Wright, of the wholesale changes needed in order to ensure survival.
That he achieved, and now the roles are reversed, with Northwich the club looking to avoid the prospect of UniBond League football. And the Vale Royal club have recently appointed a new manager of their own, a man whose presence is sure to add extra spice to tomorrow’s proceedings.
Shaun Teale is an old foe as far as Chester City is concerned. He was a member of the Carlisle United side that stole victory at the Deva Stadium in April 2000, a match that ultimately proved crucial in relegating the Blues a month later. He was back in the opposition ranks the following season, this time with Southport, and enjoyed some further feisty encounters. It was in his time at Southport that he acquainted Phil Bolland and Scott Guyett, who he played alongside in central defence. He will feature in the Vics line up tomorrow, and in his role as player-manager, would like nothing more than to come out on top over his old team mates and simultaneously put one over his former boss, Mark Wright.
That Bolland will start for City is beyond doubt, and Blues fans hope that Guyett will be fit enough to take a place alongside him, given that Carl Ruffer will be serving a one-match suspension. Shaun Carey will return from suspension and, given that Ben Davies seems to be temporarily out of favour, is likely to reclaim a place in midfield from Andy Harris. Jamie Heard is likely to continue in the right back role following Carl Regan’s departure, but it is likely that Wright will search for a more experienced campaigner to fill that berth in the season’s final stages.
Two and a half games ago, everybody at the club could not have been happier. Then came Gravesend and Northfleet’s second-half comeback at the Deva, an inept Trophy exit against Halifax Town and a surprise defeat away at Forest Green Rovers. In that time six goals have been conceded, so the City defence will be anxious to return to the form that has seen them gain a reputation for being the best in the Conference. But more than anything, three points are all that will concern the Blues tomorrow, and given recent results, few travelling fans at tomorrow’s game will care for the manner in which they are obtained, should City manage to return to winning ways.
City’s 4-0 drubbing of the Vics earlier this season, memorable as it was, fails to mask the fact that, over the past three seasons, Northwich have enjoyed the upper hand in fixtures between the two clubs. One of their finest hours was when they secured the double over Steve Mungall’s beleagured outfit in 2001/2, although it could be argued that those results did City a favour in the long run, firstly in accelerating the departure of Mungall, and secondly in convincing the new manager, Mark Wright, of the wholesale changes needed in order to ensure survival.
That he achieved, and now the roles are reversed, with Northwich the club looking to avoid the prospect of UniBond League football. And the Vale Royal club have recently appointed a new manager of their own, a man whose presence is sure to add extra spice to tomorrow’s proceedings.
Shaun Teale is an old foe as far as Chester City is concerned. He was a member of the Carlisle United side that stole victory at the Deva Stadium in April 2000, a match that ultimately proved crucial in relegating the Blues a month later. He was back in the opposition ranks the following season, this time with Southport, and enjoyed some further feisty encounters. It was in his time at Southport that he acquainted Phil Bolland and Scott Guyett, who he played alongside in central defence. He will feature in the Vics line up tomorrow, and in his role as player-manager, would like nothing more than to come out on top over his old team mates and simultaneously put one over his former boss, Mark Wright.
That Bolland will start for City is beyond doubt, and Blues fans hope that Guyett will be fit enough to take a place alongside him, given that Carl Ruffer will be serving a one-match suspension. Shaun Carey will return from suspension and, given that Ben Davies seems to be temporarily out of favour, is likely to reclaim a place in midfield from Andy Harris. Jamie Heard is likely to continue in the right back role following Carl Regan’s departure, but it is likely that Wright will search for a more experienced campaigner to fill that berth in the season’s final stages.
Two and a half games ago, everybody at the club could not have been happier. Then came Gravesend and Northfleet’s second-half comeback at the Deva, an inept Trophy exit against Halifax Town and a surprise defeat away at Forest Green Rovers. In that time six goals have been conceded, so the City defence will be anxious to return to the form that has seen them gain a reputation for being the best in the Conference. But more than anything, three points are all that will concern the Blues tomorrow, and given recent results, few travelling fans at tomorrow’s game will care for the manner in which they are obtained, should City manage to return to winning ways.
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