JUST over a month ago most people thought that troubled Chester City’s hopes of Blue Square Premier League survival were about as good as Hilda Ogden’s chances of ever winning X Factor.
A 25-point penalty and a woefully inadequate squad meant that City were consistently out of tune. But a change of manager and some astute temporary loan signings have turned the club’s fortunes around.
Three wins from the last trio of matches has seen a small shaft of light beginning to peep through at the end of the dark relegation tunnel.
City’s latest victory came on Saturday when they deservedly defeated fellow strugglers Grays Athletic 3-1 at the Recreation Ground.
“There is no reason, with performances like this, why we shouldn’t survive in the Blue Square Premier,” said Harvey. “The three wins on the bounce are down to a tenacity and hunger, which we want to keep going.”
Chester opened the scoring after half an hour. Kevin Roberts pulled back a cross for Michael Coulson who rifled the ball home from the edge of the area.
Slightly against the run of play two minutes later the home side grabbed an equaliser. Six foot seven-inch Folawiyo Onibuje out-jumped the City defenders to head home from close range.
Normal service resumed a minute before the break. Grays goalkeeper Preston Edwards made a hash of collecting a cross from Coulson, which gifted Nick Chadwick with a simple tap-in.
Early in the second half Beesley and Owen went close for City, before Chadwick settled the match. Man of the match Coulson had a great run down the left before setting up another chance for the ex-Everton striker to score the third from close range.
Harvey said: “The question I was asking myself all week was could we follow up the superb performance we put in against Wimbledon last week, and they did.
“Questions in my mind about could they compete against Grays kept coming up, but they did compete which was pleasing.
“Everything we expected from Grays we got, we coped well with all they threw at us.”
City are next in action tomorrow when they travel to face York City, but central defender Jon Flynn won’t be available as he has been called up by the Northern Ireland under-21 squad.
GRAYS ATHLETIC: Edwards, Davis (Asllani 74), Mawer, Uddin, Bunce, Poole, Leahy (Agombar 55), Robson, Graham (Prendergast 62), Onibuje, Slabber. Subs: Rnkovic, Charge.
CHESTER CITY: Danby, Ashton, Meynell (Wilkinson 85), Ryan , Roberts, Owen, Beesley, Flynn, Keltie, Coulson (Kay 90), Chadwick (Blundell, 80). Subs: Murphy, Rule.
REFEREE: John Farries (Hampshire).
