Chester finally grab a win after 13 games

Feb 25 2008 by Staff Copytaker, Liverpool Daily Post

FOR Chester City, it was 13th time lucky on Saturday, when they came from behind to defeat Coca-Cola League Two strugglers Mansfield Town at a blustery Field Mill.

City, who hadn’t recorded a victory in their previous dozen outings, came back strongly in the second period, after they changed their formation and adopted a more expansive and positive approach in the final 45 minutes.

Admittedly, next to bottom Mansfield are the poorest side that Chester have faced so far this season, but in the words of the old football adage, “you can only beat the team you are playing”.

The transformation came about after City’s experienced central defender Paul Butler was replaced at half-time by striker Chris Holroyd. Chester abandoned their 4-5-1 formation and changed to a 4-4-2 pattern, which allowed them to be a more adventurous outfit and wear down their opponents.

Chances were few and far between in a turgid first half which wasn’t helped by a near gale force wind swirling across the pitch. Slightly against the run of play, the home side took the lead in the 45th minute, the unmarked John Mullins heading a corner from Hamshaw home from six yards.

City were a different proposition in the second period and were full value for their equaliser. Partridge floated a cross into the area and Kevin Ellison pounced to head a powerful header past Muggleton.

After 72 minutes Louis clumsily challenged man of the match Paul Linwood in the area, referee Mr Foster immediately pointed to the spot, and Tony Dinning sent Muggleton the wrong way with the resulting spot-kick.

In added time Ellison gave the scoreline a more realistic look, delivering an exquisite strike into the far corner of the net from the edge of the area.

Chester shouldn’t get too carried away with this result, but what the victory does do is raise the confidence levels at the club.

City manager Bobby Williamson said: “It will take a while for us to enjoy it, it is a great three points, in what was always going to be a difficult game, it seemed that way when we lost a goal just on halftime, well just after halftime as far as I was concerned, as two minutes were added on.

“They have worked really hard for each other and we have got the breaks, the penalty decision was a great shout for us and it has been long overdue, as I’ve been saying we needed a break and we got that today.”

MANSFIELD TOWN: Muggleton, Jelleyman (Brown 81), Buxton, Mullins, Briggs, Atkinson, Dawson, D’Laryea, Hamshaw, Louis, Boulding. Subs: White, McAliskey, Holmes, Wood.

CHESTER CITY: Danby, J Vaughan, Linwood, Butler (Holroyd 46), Wilson, Partridge, Dinning, Roberts, Hughes, Ellison, Murphy. Subs: Palethorpe, Sandwith, Rant, S Vaughan.

REFEREE: Mr David Foster (Tyne and Wear).

ATT: 2,362.