V

Chester City v Hayes,Saturday 23rd December,2000

Nationwide Conference League

Chester City 0 v 0 Hayes  att:1658 

City put on an "unacceptable" performance against a poor Hayes side as yet again they draw in the League

Graham Barrow kept his team in the dressing room for 30 minutes after this game and quite rightly so as the blues yet again didn't perform in the league. This performance like so many recently wasn't a patch on the victories in the cup games against Plymouth and Oxford. The blues looked tired and most of the City play was sloppy and untidy as the blues showed little ambition to win the game. In fact Hayes could and perhaps should have won this game as they missed two-three clear cut chances as they hit City on the break.

Hayes started the game much the brighter and after only 90 seconds, former Chelsea player Eddie Newton hit a rasping shot from outside the area which City keeper Wayne Brown did well to hold onto. Brown was called into action again 3 minutes later when Hayes midfielder Lee Flynn swung in a cross from the right and Brown had to react quickly to prevent oncoming Hayes striker Dave Stevens from putting the ball in the net. It was ten minutes before City had a first real effort at goal, Neil Fisher struck a shot towards the Hayes goal which Hayes keeper Paul Gothard did well to tip over for a corner. City could have gone into the lead soon after when Hayes defender Alvin Watts struck the ball against his own post while trying to cut out City substitute Scott Ruscoe's cross. Steve Whitehall had claims for a penalty turned down by the yet again dire referee when he was sent tumbling in the box whilst at the other end Hayes striker Barry Moore and the impressive Eddie Newton both brought out saves from Wayne Brown. Steve Whitehall nodded a header just wide before the interval but City went in 0-0 at half time to the jeers of the City faithful.

City started the second half much better than they had ended the first, pressing the Hayes defence back but just couldn't get the ball to the front players in vital areas. The passing was at times woeful with many long hopeful balls being pumped up the pitch which where just coming straight back at us. When City did finally create a couple of chances blues strikers Steve Whitehall and Mark Beesley found Hayes keeper Gothard in good form has he made two impressive saves to deny the blues three points. It was the Londerners though who could and should have won the game in injury time when Hayes midfielder Lee Boylan beat two City defenders and flashed his cross across the face of the City goal where it was met by striker Dave Stevens at the far post who some how put it wide from 6 yards out under pressure from two City defenders. At the end it the Hayes fans who had made the long journey up from London where delighted with their point whilst the blues faithful where left to reflect on yet again another two points being dropped on the leading pack.

City now must win on Boxing day against Hereford and keep it going into the New Year as many teams behind us are now closing up with us and if results don't go our way over the Christmas period the blues could be languishing near the bottom of the Conference table. Lets hope that Graham Barrow can somehow get his team playing like they were early season as its now over two months since the City faithful last celebrated a win in the league.

Man Of The Match - Yet again Carl Ruffer had a good game at the back and always looked in control.

Chester - Brown,Fisher,Doughty,Gaunt,Ruffer,Lancaster,Carden,Porter,M.Beesley,Whitehall,Blackburn Subs:Moss,Kerr,Wright,Ruscoe,Woodyatt

Hayes-Gothard,Spencer,Flynn,Watts,Sterling,Goodliffe,Preston,Newton,Stevens,Moore,Boylan Subs:Coppard,McKimm,Telemaque

Copyright Blue Army Website 2000