home > first team fixtures > 15.11.2003 v Barnet (H)

   Deva TXT Match Report

Fixtures


 
Chester City 1-0 Barnet 15.11.2003

A cold but sunny afternoon was the setting for today's top of the league clash with Barnet.

The game started at a slow pace with neither team willing to push forwards with conviction. Chester had a free kick in the 7th minute which was cleared from the goal area by Danny Maddix.  A minute later Brady and Stamp won Chester the first corner of the game which again was cleared away from the goal area without any goal scoring chances arising.

Chester had another brace of corners in the 12th minute.  At the second McIntyre played it to the far post where it was headed into the area by Carl Ruffer and scrambled away by Gore in the Barnet Goal.

In the 14th they had yet another corner which Ben Davies played to the far post.  Carl Ruffer was there again with a header but this time it was into the side netting.

In the 26th minute Chester won another corner which was taken by Ben Davies and played high across goal. Carl Ruffer was making a long run to get on the end of it but it was knocked behind for another corner just before he could reach it.  This subsequent corner was played short and cleared easily by Barnet.

There was danger for Chester a few minutes before the break when Barnet were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position after Sean Carey had brought down Simon King. The eventual free kick was blocked without danger.

Just as the game looked to be ending in half time deadlock Alex Smith scored his first goal since his return to the Deva and what a screamer of a goal it was.  he received the ball from Ben Davies in midfield and launched a ferocious 30 yard volley at the Barnet goal giving Shane Gore absolutely no chance.

Into the second half and on 48 minutes Ben Davies played great ball through to Daryl Clare on the edge of the area but he was dispossessed before he could shoot. They had another good chance two minutes later when Brady and Davies created an opening down the right. The cross to the far post found Darryn Stamp who headed the ball downwards but his intentions had been misread by everyone and allowed Barnet to clear.

Chester kept the pressure up and McIntyre won another corner for the blues with a good run down the left.  It was taken by Ben Davies but cleared by Hendon but another corner was the result.  Ben Davies took this one and played it to Darryn Stamp but his header was straight at the keeper.

In the 72nd minute Ruffer played a brilliant through ball to Clare who was running into acres of space.  He played a cross into Darryn Stamp but Stamp couldn't turn and get a shot in.

In a game in which Barnet shots on goal were in scarce supply, substitute Lee Roach came close to an equaliser in the 76th minute with a long shot that went just past the left hand post.  The blues were comfortably in control of the game though and slowing it down at every opportunity.

Chester had the chance to make the game certain in the 82nd minute from a Ben Davies free kick.  He played it across goal towards Darryn Stamp but he just couldn't get on the end of it on time.

Chester were killing the game off as a spectacle to maintain their lead so the game fizzled out as a spectacle.  Importantly though the blues came away with 3 points and the news that Aldershot were losing to Scarborough to cement the blues firmly at the top of the Nationwide Conference.

Full Time: Chester City 1-0 Barnet
Deva TXT Alert
Chester: Brown, Collins Guyett Ruffer, McIntyre Davies Carey Brady Smith, Clare Stamp. Subs: Rapley Harris Twiss Foster Heard
Deva TXT Alert
23 played still 0-0. Chester just edging it with 5 corners so far but no clear cut chances. Ruffer hit side netting on 14 from Davies corner.
Deva TXT Alert
45+3 GOAL! Alex Smith scores his first return goal, a powerful volley from about 30 yards after first half looked deadlocked. HT HT
Deva TXT Alert
68 still Chester leading 1-0. Stamp header from a corner straight at keeper on 56, blues still mostly in control. Att 2638.
Deva TXT Alert
89 Chester double sub. Twiss and Harris replacing Smith and Clare. Chester have been killing the game fairly well. 3 minutes injury time

Deva TXT Alert

FT Chester 1-0 Barnet. Not the most exciting game as Chester killed the game off to cement their lead. Barnet hardly in it. MOM Alex Smith.

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