retired_milla0225

Chester Evening Leader

Told You So!
Harry Hackmeister's Irritatingly Large Column of Football

Chester manager, Ray Kinsale, has been awarded the Conference Manager of The Month for September. Well , I, for one, never doubted for a second the ability of this young up and coming manager. With four wins and a draw in the month the award cannot have come as a surprise to anyone, and the table topping position is no more than the team deserves.

I hate to blow my own trumpet, well, I don't actually, but never mind. But, didn't I tell you so, well, didn't I. As I've said before Kinsale is quite clearly the man for Chester.
c2003 Harry Hackmeister

retired_milla0225

Chester Chronicle

Evening Leader writer Hackmeister rushed to secure unit

In a shock move today Harry Hackmeister, the Chester Evening Leader's Chester City correspondant was carted off, kicking and screaming, to a secure unit on the Bumper's Lane industrial estate, ostensiably for the crime of spouting sycophantic rubbish. This writer, for one, couldn't have thought of a nicer bloke for it to happen to.
Jeremy Journo, Staff writer

retired_milla0225

Author's note

I updated to 4.1.2 at this point. At the sixth attempt, do you know how difficult it is to download 12Mb if you haven't got (and can't get) broadband ?

retired_milla0225

October

Chester 1-0 Farnborough
Conference Saturday 4th October 2003
Daryl Clare was brought in for his first start of the season in place of Brodie. Unfortunately the play in the first period did not bear out that decision, with neither side producing football of any real quality. Farnborough managed no chances at all in the half and Chester only had three, all off target. Stamp managing to put the ball well wide when in good positions on two occasions. Rapley had to come off after picking up a worrying knock after only 26 minutes of play. Andy Harris came on in his place. The second half was a far more lively affair with Chester getting to grips with the deep lying Farnborough defence. The first significant action of the second period didn't come until the 58th minute when after good work on the left by Bowman and Twiss, Paul Carden hit the ball from the edge of the box. the ball took a slight deflection off Hillyer on the way past and eluded the goalkeeper. 1-0. This was the scoreline it was to stay for the rest of the match with Chester carving out, and wasting, several more opportunites. The match winner Carden had to come off near the end with an injury that will require the further attention of the physio. I await Big Joe's physio report in the morning with some trepidation. Carden was named man-of-the-match, and rightly so, for he was at the heart of everyting good that Chester did in the entire game. Despite the win Chester slip back to second, being overtaken on goal difference by Morecambe.

The good news is that neither injury turned out to be serious, both Carden and Rapley should be back in training well in time for the next game.

On the following Saturday England fought out a 0-0 draw in Turkey, but could only manage 2nd place in their Euro Champs Qualifying group, following a poor draw in Macedonia earlier in the campaign.

Meanwhile Chester are drawn away to second division Chesterfield in the first round of the Vans trophy.

But there was better news in the draw for the 4th Qualifying ropund of the FA Cup. Chester were drawn at home against a lower league team, in the form of Croydon.

Northwich Vics 2-1 Chester
Conference Saturday 18th October 2003
Although Chester started off the local derby the brighter of the two teams, with the better of the early chances it was Northwich who scored first. Crawford latching onto a clearnce and taking it away from Strong and hammering it past McCaldon and into the far corner of the net, the score coming in the 15th minute. Chester equalised in 26 minutes when Stamp headed home a routine corner by Carden. Chester then exterted the lion's share of the possesion, but whilst there wasn't equity in the shot count at the end of the first half, the goals tally was to remain even. The second half continued in the same vein, with Chester wasting chance upon chance, with finishing from the Jonny Wilkinson school of knocking the ball over the bar. Indeed it was the Vics who got the winner in the mid-Cheshire derby with a very well worked move which culminated in Ward shooting past McCaldon, who can't have been happy with his performace. Chester huffed and puffed towards the end, but never looked like equalising for the second time. All-in-all a very disappointing way to lose your unbeaten record. Vics goalie Andy Woods is unsurprisingly named man-of-the-match. Chester drop to third in the table.

Chesterfield 2-0 Chester
Vans Trophy 1st Rnd North Wednesday 22nd October 2003
Chester were certainly not overawed by their visit to second division Chesterfield, having the better of the exchanges in a scoreless first half, Chester's best moment being a shot from the edge of the box by Darryl Clare that whistled past the post. At the other end McCaldon made a decent save to keep out a long range effort by the veteran Paul Warhurst. All-in-all a balanced first period. At the half I tok off [b]Gary Bowman[/b} who was not at his best and replaced him with Andy Harris with Kevin Rapley switching to the left side. It was Chesterfield, however, who came out fighting after the break, clearly fired up by their half-time team talk they had scored within the first five minutes of the restart; Mark Hudson firing in from close range after McCaldon had parried a Kevin Dawson shot. Chester tried hard following this, but from here on there was only going to be one winner, and Chesterfield added to their tally on 73 minutes when Gareth Davies headed home a Stuart Howson cross unchallenged. Chester ended the game with only three of seven attempts on target (compared to five of eight for Chesterfield) something that I think we'll have to look at in training. Man-of-the-match wa Chesterfield's Kevin Dawson who was commanding at the back. As they say, a good chance for us to concentarte on the league.

Chester 4-0 Croydon
FA Cup 4th Qualifying Rnd Saturday 25th October
Chester sped into a two goal lead early on in this game. the first came from Darryl Clare, his first goal of the season, a through ball from Carden was smashed past the Croydon keeper by Clare from the edge of the box. Only five minutes gone. On 9 minutes Chester made it two-nil. A Michael Twiss free kick on the edge of the box was deflected onto a post by the wall, where Paul Carden was first to the rebound to knock it into the gaping net. After such a whirlwind start Croydon did well to get a grip back on the game and the rest of the half degenretaed into a bitty midfield contest. Chester had a Stamp header well saved late on, but that was about the only highlight from the last 35 minutes of the half. Chester doubled their advantage in the second half, but had to wait until the hour mark for the third goal. Darryl Clare was the scorer, his second of the match, the goal coming when Clare intercepted a suicidal pass across his own box by the Croydon right back, leaving Clare a simple task to put the ball into the net. The fourth, and final, goal came on 73 minutes. Greg Strong's powerful header from a Paul Carden corner was bravely parried by the Croydon keeper, but only into the path of Jamie Heard who steered the rebound into the empty net for his first goal for the club. Chester had further chances to extend their lead but squandered them all. The game finishing a convincing 4-0 to Chester. Darryl Clare was named man-of-the-match for his two goal blast. Wayne Brown selected in goal for the game ahead of Ian McCaldon, folowing a couple of poor displays by the Scottish net minder, picked up a shoulder injury that would keep him out for a week.

Chester were drawn at home again for the first round proper, Fellow conference team Barnet will be the opposition.

At the end of the month Dave Cameron returned from his loan at Halifax, a few games in the reserves should see him back to fitness.

retired_milla0225

Chester Chronicle

Where have all the matches gone ?
Jereny Journo's quiet pitchside chat

A whole month gone, and only two league games ?, what's going on ? I get this gig and there's nothing to report on. I was trained at RADA you know. And yes I do know it's not for journalists but don't anyone ever try and tell me I'm not a drama queen.

Oh yes, football. Chester won one in the league, lost their first game in the league, lost in the tinpot Vans trophy and are through to the first round of the proper cup. That about sums this month up.

Do I get this gig full time ?

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Memo from the Owner of Chronicle Group Newspapers

To : Editors, Chester Chronicle, Chester Evening Leader

Quite frankly, lads I'm a bit disturbed by the reporting on Chester City over recent months, can we look at re-instating Harry Hackmeister ?

Yours,
Sir Barrington Smythers-Hackmeister III
Owner, Chronicle Group

retired_brinker317

Ooh, local paper politics, love it

Great start this - enjoying it

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November

Chester 2-1 Exeter
Conference Saturday 1st November 2003
A lively opening period of much endeavour and few clear-cut chances was the order of the day in the first half here. Exeter succeded in breaking up most of Chester's good work, without creating much themseleves. The half looked to be heading towards a goalless conclusion when Ben Davies broke down the right wing, carried the ball half the length of the pitch only to get cut down as he cut inside the full back after feinting a pull back as he reached the byline. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Up stepped Darryl Clare, who put the ball to the keeper's left and into the corner of the net. 1-0 in injury time in the first. Exeter came right back into the match in the second half, exhibiting a far more positive attitude than in the first. Their efforts were rewarded on 80 minutes when Reiner Moore shot from a tight angle past a badly positioned Ian McCaldon. The lead did not last long, however, as Chester redoubled their efforts and were rewarded with a goal in the 83rd minute. A Paul Carden corner was headed back across the face of goal by Jamie Heard where it was met by Sergei Baltacha, who gratefully buried the ball into the roof of the net. Chester held on until the final whistle with some ease for a slightly undeserved two-one win. Kevin Rapley was named man-of-the-match. Chester rise to second in the table of the back of this, behind Aldershot on goal difference, with Morecambe, having lost again, dropping to third.

Scarborough 1-3 Chester
Conference Tuesday 4th November 2003
Scarborough stunned Chester with a goal in the first two minutes Quayle crossing for Quigley to head home. This set the tone for the first half which Scarborough dominated, Chester being strangely out of sorts in midfield, especially. It was only a couple of good saves from McCaldon that kept Chester in it at this stage. Going forward the Blues didn't get a single shot on target. In an attempt to get things sorted I took off Bowman and Carden at half time, replacing them with Ruffer and Harris. Chester turned the game round in the second half, having been told, by myself, to pull their finger out ! We switched to a more attacking style of play and it soon brought rewards. On 50 minutes Stamp taking the ball round the keeper after Rapley, from the centre circle, had found Clare, up the middle, who then flicked the ball for Stamp to pick up on the edge of the box and take it past the keeper. The second came on 55, and it was the ever more impressive Clare who scored it. Andy Harris met a keeper's clearance in the centre circle with a powerful header that sent Clare clear of the defence, who then rifled a 20 yard shot into the top right hand corner for a spectacular goal. Chester completed the scoring on 68 minutes, Clare breaking from the half way line again had his shot from the edge of the box parried this time only for Twiss, who was following up, to have the simple task of knocking the ball into the empty net. A very impressive second half display by Chester. Unsurprisingly Clare was named man-of-the-match for his one goal, two assists performance. Chester go back to the top on the back of this performance as Aldershot can only draw at struggling Northwich.

Gary Bowman picked up a calf strain in the match and will be out for three weeks.

Chester 1-0 Barnet
FA cup 1st Round Saturday 8th November 2003
A good first half for Chester, punctuated early on by a 5th minute Jamie Heard goal, headed in from a Paul Carden corner. For the rest of the half Chester barely raised a sweat against a lacklustre Barnet side. Chances came and went, but Chester failed to add to their early score and went in at the half, one-nil up. Barnet came right back into the game in the second half and put Chester under considerable pressure. However they couldn't manage a breakthorugh and the score remained 1-0. Chester managed a couple more chances late on Stamp being guilty of shooting straight at the keeper when he really should have scored, but 1-0 it stayed. Chester are through to Round Two.
Kevin Rapley, filling in on the left for the injured Bowman was named man-of-the-match. Let's hope for a home draw in the next round.

I took another dip into the transfer market, with regard to our lesser goal difference than our rivals, and signed Stoke's Ryan Hutchinson on a three month loan. Hutchinson F LC is a forward who has been knocking them in for fun in Stoke's reserves, but is deemed surplus to requirements by the Potters. I'm looking for him to add some goals, initially from the bench.

In the FA Cup second round draw Chester were drawn at home against either Rochdale or Bury, both sides in the third division.

In European play-off action England sailed past Slovenia to get to the championships in Portugal. They'll be joined by Scotland who secured their win over two legs with an impressive 3-2 away win in Norway. Wales were out of luck though as a poor perfomace in a 1-3 home defeat to Bulgaria undid all their good work in the first leg.

Bury secured their place in the second round of the FA Cup with a 5-4 penalties victory after a 1-1 draw with 'Dale. They now come to the Deva stadium on December 6th. Meanwhile Morecambe provided the shock of the round dumping second division Tranmere out on penalties in their replay.

Chester 1-1 Halifax
Conference 22nd November 2003
A poor first half, with much endeavour from both sides, but not too much in the way of application. Chester managed only three shots, none of them on target, despite me asking them to play with a more attacking mentality than would be the norm. Halifax manged the only goal of the half, a Mallon penalty awarded after Strong was adjuded to have fouled the Halifax forward in the area. At half time I withdrew Darryl Clare, who was having a bit of a 'mare and replaced him with new signing Hutchinson, switching Stamp to the right side. Chester equalised within four minutes of the restart, and what a goal it was. Heard took the ball on the right form a Harris throw just inside the Halifax half. He then played an inch perfct cross field ball to Rapley who knocked it in, first time to Carden on the edge of the 'D'.Carden then put the ball, first time, into the path of Twiss who was bursting into the left side of the box. Twiss took it on a stride and blasted a shot across the face of the goalkeeper and into the bottom right corner of the net 1-1. After such excitent very little could live up to that Hutchinson did well on his debut without ever setting the world on fire and young Adam Hunter got an outing late on, but couldn't make much of a difference. No further goals, a draw a fair result. Ryan Mallon of Halifax was named man-of-the-match. Chester dropped to second, behind Aldershot once more, on the back of this result.

Barnet 1-0 Chester
Conference Tuesday 25th November 2003
Bowman returned to the side after injury for this one, Harris dropping to the bench with Rapley reverting to the right wing back slot. Barnet scored first in the match after only 10 minutes, and it was a litany of bad defending that let them do it. During the move Clare, Davies, Rapley, Heard and Strong all failed to close down the Barnet players allowing them the freedom of the park to play in. Don't think I've left anyone out. Anyway a long pass down the left wing found Strevens in acres of space, and he was given time to cross, finding Micheal Harper who was given all the time he needed to bring the ball down, turn and shoot past the onrushing McCaldon. In the rest of the first half Chester failed to make an impression, and the score remained 1-0 at the half. I took the very dissapointing Clare and Rapley off at half time. Their replacements, Hutchinson and Harris both played better, but fared little better in the second half. Chester huffed and puffed and mad a couple of very presentable chances which Stamp and then Twiss proceeded to miss. Meanwhile McCaldon, on his own mainly, performed well to deny The Bees a second. the game finished 1-0 to Barnet, a thoroughly poor performance from City.
Gary Bowman was named man-of-the-match on his return from injury, other than McCaldon he was the only player to emerge from this game with any credit at all. Chester drop to third. Disappointed.

During the week I obviously had reason to think long and hard about the previous two or three games. Convincing? we hadn't been that at all and so a tactical rethink was on the cards. I asked Steve Bleasdale to start teaching the lads at training about the 3-5-2 system that Valencia play, only a couple of changes from our old formation with the wing backs pushing up to be convetional wide midfielders and the centre of the three midfielders dropping back into a holding role. We'll try it out on Saturday against Tamworth, fourth from bottom of the conference, with the game at home, what could be a better time to experiment ?

Chester 1-0 Tamworth
Conference Staurday 29th November 2003
The expeiment with the new tactics worked very well in the first half of this game, despite having no width at the back the addition of a holding midfielder meant that cover was always available and Tamworth, for a fair amount of hearty endeavour produced no shots in the entire half. Chester on the other hand looked inventive coming forward. I'd put Twiss out on the left (with Bowman in the centre and Ben Davies as the man 'in the hole') where he was a revalation, he made Chester's two best chances of the half, neither of which were taken, one a cross on the run that Stamp crashed against the upright and the otehr a delightful through ball from which only a desperate saving challange could prevent Davies from scoring. But a goal did come, on 21 minutes, and in a surprisingly routine way Rapley heading home a Paul Carden corner. It was Kevin Rapley's first goal of the season. The second half was more of the same with Chester palying well but squandering the chances that came their way. They did have a goal disallowed at the end when Bowman struck a sweet volley from outside the box, wheeling away to celebrate only to see the linesman's flag, presumably raised for offside against Stamp who, to my mind, wasn't interfering with play. Tamworth had their own problems with officialdom, with Armand One being sent off for abuse of the ref for a second yellow card, seconds after getting the first one for diving. All-in-all a far easier win than the final 1-0 would suggest Rapley was named man-of-the-match, although both Twiss and Carden must have run him close. Chester stay in third as the teams above us, Aldershot and Morecambe, both won also.

Aldershot manager Terry Brown deservedly picked up the manager-of-the-month trophy. The board did report that they are pleased with the club's progress, however.

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Many thanks for the kind words displaced_seagull. I've got to say, in a quite possibly sycophantic type way that it was reading your Chester story that got me interested in doing this in the first place.

All I've got to do now is get a bit better a developing the journo bits....

retired_milla0225

and learn how to do tables....