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Chester: Traveller’s Tales

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Sun 13 Aug 2017
Posted in News

Away games are a bit like going to the dentist; the chances are it may not be a particularly good experience but thereโ€™s a possibility we may all feel better afterwards. It was the first Saturday grand day out of the season and the travelling Shaymen were out in force heading 123 miles west to sunny Chester.

Bang on noon we were ready, first in the queue at perhaps the best value carvery weโ€™ll find all season. You could chose a small or medium dinner plate or just fill a bucket. Iโ€™ve promised not to share who had what but the chef was delighted weโ€™re not visiting again this season; only fair-weather Graham had the brass neck to go back for second helpings.

Chesterโ€™s Deva stadium was opened in 1992 with a capacity of just over 5000. There are 4500 seats with standing available to the home fans behind one of the goals. In truth, the ground is perfect for the level of support and can generate a good atmosphere.

Chatting to a gloomy programme seller outside the ground, he was convinced Chester were in for a tough season, โ€œFinish below us and youโ€™ll be in troubleโ€ he said. โ€œWeโ€™ve not won at home since last December either.โ€ At least we cheered him up a little by buying a programme or two.

With an adult admission price of just ยฃ18 we were allocated to the stand behind one of the goals. Around 275 travelling Shaymen made the trip with flags, banners and a drum and were generating plenty of noise at kick off time.

At half time, it was goalless; a header cleared off the line at the far end was the closest we came to see the Shaymen take the lead. Chester looked less of a threat and perhaps there was a quiet confidence amongst the away fans that a good result was possible.

A cross that hit the bar, a few free kicks hit into the crowd and a couple of corners.ย  It wasnโ€™t a great second half but a save from Sam Johnson in the last few minutes ensured another valuable point on the road. In all honesty, the game seemed to lack the passion and excitement that our previous trip to Chester had provided. The home fans were much quieter than in the past and some may feel the points were there for the taking.

Driving back and we all seemed happy, two away games, two clean sheets, two points and two games unbeaten. Weโ€™d even doubled our points tally for the season and having seen Guiseleyโ€™s result at Aldershot, weโ€™d done okay last Saturday too. Fair-weather Graham wasnโ€™t happy though, he wants to see goals, goals and more goals. Heโ€™s taken his half-eaten bag of jelly babies back and heโ€™s promised not to join us on another away game this season. I bet he cheers up by mid-week and be with us next Saturday. We donโ€™t call him fair-weather for nothing!

Next up weโ€™re off to Solihull Moors as we venture South for the first time, canโ€™t wait, cโ€™mon Shaymen!

Total miles on the road this season 488, total Goals on the road 0.

Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist

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