CHESTER City will be aiming to put the turmoil of the past few weeks to one side on Boxing Day and record a victory against Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough.

Cash-strapped City – who have failed to pay the players their November salaries and have been informed by the authorities that their Deva Stadium ground needs certain safety improvements made before its capacity can be restored to acceptable levels – have failed to record a win in their last seven outings and are hoping for some festive cheer against managerless Harriers.

However, City manager Jim Harvey will again have to field an under-strength side because of injuries and suspension.

One experienced player Harvey can call on is goalkeeper John Danby, who started his career with the Midlanders before joining Chester in 2005.

Unfortunately the keeper hasn’t been in the best of form lately and it was his mistake that gifted Fleetwood Town their FA Trophy goal in City’s last outing.

Harvey said: “John Danby dropped another catch which led to Fleetwood’s winning goal and he has dropped a couple of catches lately.

“John probably struggled because it was a bit of an awkward cross he had to deal with which bounced in front of him.

“He went to pick it up but spilled it out and they were able to score from it.

“I know John was disappointed with the effort because it was one you would expect him to save or collect, but unfortunately he didn’t.

“But he is a good keeper and he is big enough to put those sort of mistakes behind him.”

THE Aggborough pitch has been covered for the past few days, but there will be a precautionary inspection at 10.30am on Saturday.

CHESTER CITY (from):Danby, Murphy, Roberts, Kelly, Ryan, Rule, Rea, Lea, Barry, Owen, Wilkinson, Ellams, Rawlinson, Jones, Coulter, Freeman, Davidson.