Back on Track!

It's been an eventful week at Chester FC.

Following the Nantwich Nightmare, so much was said, and vented, but we all just wanted to get back to winning ways on Saturday at home to North Ferriby, and the lads were clearly of the same mindset, whipping United 6-0 in front of a decent gate of over 2100.

It was the perfect response. Iain Howard & Chris Simm recalled to the team that they'd been dropped from a few days earlier due to their lateness, and I'm sure people now realise why that had to happen, and when I saw them on the pitch before the game as I walked in, I gave them a bit of banter about the fact that they were here on time this week!

In my blog for The Cestrian last time out I was writing about big wins, but I didn't actually think we'd get such a big win on Saturday as the team we were playing were half decent themselves, but when I saw that they'd only been able to name 3 subs, hopes were lifted.

It was fairly even early doors, and North Ferriby were looking like a team who had done well the past few seasons, having been involved in the Play offs, but as soon as Simmo scored their was only going to be one winner.

Then, step up Iain Howard - a beautiful step over and drag back of the ball led to a pass for Simmo to run on to and collect his second of the match, when he slid the ball under the keeper, Simmo admitted after the game he was knackered by the time he got to the penalty area - well at least he didn't get his feet all tangled up again like the FC United game ha ha!

It was then Iain's turn though to put the ball in the net, and how, a special scissor-cum-overhead kick that found its way into the corner of the net to put the Blues 3 up - this was the icing on the cake, but the cherry would follow later!

Think Brad & the Harry Mac enjoyed that one!

In a week when many have demanded Bradley Barnes gets a look in, Neil decided to introduce him to the match, and what a great reception he got too - and in just a few minutes he had everyone cheering after blasting home in front of the Harry Mac - he couldn't have been better placed!

Barnesy didn't get long to celebrate his though as Robbie Booth let fly from the edge of the area, and with the aid of a deflection made it 5-0, a great goal, and well deserved for Boothy who has been working extremely hard to get where he is now.

The scoring wasn't over then either, as Matty McGinn - quite possibly one of Chester's best ever loan signings, was upended in the penalty area, and he got up dusted himself down, and blasted home another spot kick, 6-0!

So, a great day for The Blues, and everyone feeling much better thank you than the previous Monday, and that's what we all needed, confidence back again - well done boys!

It was a football dominated few days, probably didn't go down too well at home, what with the England match on Friday night, the Chester match on Saturday, board meeting on Monday night, England match again on Tuesday night, followed by the Chester game at Ashton on Wednesday - wall to wall? You betcha.

So, to Ashton, and I still can't believe the weather the other night, I bet the subs were pleased to be sitting on that bench, as it couldn't have been much fun out there in that torrential rain, it was bad enough watching from the sides!

Iain Howard - great at pens apparently

I did a bit of Boardroom duty at Ashton, and I have to say that we were looked after superbly by the Ashton officials, had a good chat about Iain Howard, being a previous player of theirs and they informed us that he is deadly from the penalty spot, so we'll be looking for that in future Cup games if needed!

What a start we got off to though,and Simmo was the hero again, he really is on fire at the moment, and long may it continue - he's been running his plums off recently and now he is getting the rewards with the goals, but I don't think anyone was expecting such a quick start the other night in that rain, but we pretty much dominated that game, and deserved the second goal, although for some reason watching the match, you never feel comfy until we get a third.

That didn't come, but the rain did, and fair play to Pat Cluskey, who was taking the kit bag home, his car must have weighed a ton going back, and Jimmy would need more than Daz Ultra to get that crap off the kits!

We're back to Friday again, and another away day at Worksop tomorrow, let's hope the boys bring the points home again, and we can push on in our quest for the title!

Non stop action as the promotion push continues!

I think everyone was surprised the other night when we heard the team for the match against Sutton Coldfield in the President's Cup, but Neil stuck to his pre match view that he would be fielding a strong team for the game, as the lads had only trained the once and that would not be enough before Saturday's game against Skelmersdale, and that of course will be the priority - that said, it didn't stop me wincing every time a player was challenged!

The fact that we did have a strong line up suggested that we wouldn't need extra time for this game, and in fact the game was wrapped up by half time as a brilliant goal from Antoni Sarcevic put us one up with many likening the goal to that of Junior "you wake me up before" Agogo, with that mazy run against Cheltenham at the Deva a few years ago - well more than a few now!

Great news yesterday that Antoni is going to stay with us for a further month, was pleased when I got the call from Neil late yesterday afternoon giving us the news that we wanted to hear, and as I was on the way home from work, I was straight on to the internet as soon as I walked through the door to share the news. That also meant a quick Tweet and sharing it on Facebook.

Wednesday was also low key on the pre match entertainment factor, but also great to see Iain Howard collect the Seals Podcast Player of the Month Award for October - he certainly deserved it. Also of note, was Iain saying he was single, and I'm sure I caught him eyeing up the lineswoman on Wednesday night, who shall we say probably attracted less criticism than your average linesman would!

I sat down with Richie "I'm a Director, get me outta here" Wightman and also Richie Sands & Nigel Clarke for the first half, where we witnessed a great first half full of Chester chances, and apologies to all me for me jumping up in front of them when we scored - just couldn't contain myself!

One of the funniest moments was when the announcement came over that someone had parked in a disabled parking space without a blue badge, and we were all laughing about it until it was realised that it was Richie Sands' car - or "Sonic" as he always used to be known, for his speed on crutches - used to play football with that lad at school and still got the scars to prove it!

After a lovely sausage roll from the kiosk it was off to the Harry Mac for the second half to go and stand behind the goal, I do try and do that as much as possible as it used to be my favourite area behind the goal. Anyway, some good banter in behind the goal, and a promise to play a certain tune on Saturday, which could end up turning into an anthem on the Harry Mac - watch this space!

So, a good, if not freezing night watching the Blues, but a good win, and through to the Quarter Finals draw, which takes place towards the end of next week. Got home to catch the highlights of the England game, well what highlights there were anyway, not much kop, but young lads, so let's just get behind them.

Yesterday was a fairly quiet day which was just as well as really busy at work, but a few e-mails coming through, we get a lot of students doing journalism or sports broadcasting courses requesting interviews, and that's certainly the case this weekend, with a few more to do, as well as an interview with Alan Irwin from City Talk, so expecting it to be busy tomorrow pre match.

Busy tonight also, as the first Dee 106.3 weekend preview programme starts at 6pm, and myself and Chris Pilsbury will be in the studios all things being well as we look to the start of the weekly feature on the Blues, and great to see that Dee are really linking up with the club now - but they won't live the 'Chester manager Gary Simpson' bit down!

That's it for now, just boxed off some e-mails for CFC, and after doing some CFU letters early morning, it's off to work, Friday - dress down Friday - love it.

That's it for this week, have a great weekend, and come on you blues!!!