You can’t tell people how to think or react, but perspective is always important.

A few days have passed since Chester’s 1-0 home defeat by Merthyr Town. The smattering of boos that emanated from the stands may still be ringing in their ears of the players and management.

I’ve written about this before. There is a reason for the expectation at Chester, and it has nothing to do with entitlement, and there is a narrative that exists in non-league football circles that Blues fans are a one of one when it comes to being hard to please. I understand why that narrative exists, but I also don’t always subscribe to it.

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Win at home and draw away and you won’t be far away, as the saying goes.

This was not a vintage performance from Chester, in fact, Blues boss Phil Parkinson was pretty damning about what was on show. But to be disappointed with a point away from home after a long trek to the North East, against a side that hadn’t lost at home since the start of last season, will be viewed as one gained in good time.

Hebburn Town are a good side. It’s easy to see why they have started the National League North season well, and with a winning mentality still in place on the back of last season’s promotion, the Trustmark Group Stadium will be a challenging place to earn points.

The pitch is uneven, the grass feeling long and not conducive to quick-paced football on the deck. The Hornets will use it to their advantage and they will do well between now and Christmas.

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Jack Kenny has joined Hyde United on a 28-day loan.

Central defender Kenny, 21, joined Chester in the summer from Avro FC with a reputation as a player with significant potential.

He has yet to feature for Phil Parkinson’s side in any of the six games this season, appearing as an unused substitute on each occasion.

The fine form of Jake Griffin and George Burroughs at the heart of the Chester defence this season has meant there has been little opportunity to make his Blues bow, with Parkinson opting for greater experience in the 1-0 home loss to Morecambe on Bank Holiday Monday by going with 39-year-old Sam Foley for fear of having a backline that would be too youthful.

Kenny remains a player who has a future at Chester, but with his age and profile, on the back of a campaign where he played a significant amount of senior football for Avro last season as they were promoted to the seventh tier of English football for the first time, he needs games in order to continue his development.

With Griffin and Burroughs looking a solid centre back pairing, and with Foley’s versatility and Isaac Burgess’ ability to play both right back and centre back, a short-term loan is seen as a good opportunity for Kenny to continue to grow and remain match sharp.

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Chester boss Phil Parkinson will be hoping to welcome back some players from injury this weekend as the Blues make the long trek to the North East to take on Hebburn Town.

Parkinson’s side were handed their first defeat of the season on Bank Holiday Monday as Paul Lewis’ goal early in the second half earned Morecambe a 1-0 win at the Deva Community Stadium in a game where Chester never did enough to win the game, but probably enough to grab a share of the spoils.

Parkinson made a number of changes to his Blues side against the Shrimps on the back of a 1-1 draw at Hereford two days prior, with George Burroughs and Connor Woods both absent after picking up knocks, and a number of other changes made to freshen up the starting line-up.

This weekend at Hebburn will likely see Chester return to a line-up similar to the one that faced Hereford, with the hope being that both Burroughs, who has been hugely impressive this season alongside Jake Griffin, and Woods will be available. New loan signing Joe Boggan, who arrived on a season-long deal from Scottish side Livingston on Tuesday, will likely also be involved.

Speaking to The Seal this week, Parkinson said: “There was nothing major, really. George’s was his foot as he’s got a bruise from an impact (at Hereford). He couldn’t walk yesterday but he’s walking today, so he’s just getting that bruising down. It’s his right foot as well, so he’ll be fine come the weekend.

“Connor’s got a strained calf. He’s an explosive player so he wouldn’t have been able to give us what he normally would (against Morecambe). Hopefully a bit of rest and he’ll be right as rain going into the weekend.”

Burroughs’ absence on Saturday did present 39-year-old Sam Foley with the chance to start at centre back having made an impressive, albeit brief, cameo late on in central midfield against Hereford.

Parkinson went with Foley’s experience for the game after feeling that the make-up of the backline would have looked too youthful if he had gone for the options of Jack Kenny or Isaac Burgess.

“Sam Foley stepped in and, apart from the set piece, he hadn’t been troubled by the lads running in behind,” said Parkinson.

“They like to suck the centre‑halves out for the (Matty) Daly run in behind. I think they did it once in the first half, we learned from it, and that’s his experience, recognising the up‑back‑and‑throughs. So yeah, he did absolutely fine.

“We could have gone even younger with young Isaac going in there or Jack Kenny, but I was very aware that the little bit of extra experience George brings, along with Sam (Reed) and Nathan (Woodthorpe). I wanted to stick with as much experience as I could in the back line. Otherwise we’d have had an extremely high amount of 20–21‑year‑olds in there. Luke Hewitson is that age, obviously Griff, and Ma’kel (Campbell), a 19‑year‑old, and Connor Murphy who’s 18.”

Parkinson had been hoping to have Dominic McHale involved against Morecambe on Monday after he had been sidelined with a foot injury since midway through pre-season. But a slight setback means that Hebburn may also come too soon, although a trip to Buxton on Saturday, September 12, may present a chance for him to have some involvement.

Jack Bainbridge is nearing a return to full training but will need some time to get up to speed and match fitness having missed the entirety of pre-season.

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If you’re anything like me you’ll have just about brushed off the disappointment of Monday’s 1-0 loss at home to Morecambe just about now.

Chester didn’t hit the levels that they had shown during the first five games against the Shrimps, but even so it was a game where they really did enough to get a point from.

There is so much to like about this Chester team, and the record of four wins, a draw and one defeat from the opening six National League North games is something that, if we are being honest, most would have taken in a heartbeat if it was offered prior to the opening game at Chorley last month.

There is energy, dynamism and a lot of talent in key areas, but the weekend probably brought into sharper focus the one area that maybe has been a nagging issue, where the potential lack of a regular goal threat down the middle could become problematic if left unaddressed.

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The need for snap immediate judgments isn’t something that I’ve ever wanted The Seal to be about.

I’d mulled over what I should write about today’s game, but sometimes you can just over think something and give it greater significance than it really needs to have.

This National League North season is 46 games long. Nobody was doing an Arsenal and going unbeaten, and with now 39 games remaining of this campaign, Chester certainly won’t be. Their unbeaten record under Phil Parkinson ended by a 1-0 home defeat against Morecambe in front of a bumper Bank Holiday Monday crowd at the Deva Community Stadium.

The goal, a 52nd minute glanced header from Paul Lewis a set piece that will be filed under the ‘soft’ category was an uncharacteristic one based on the defensive displays of the five games prior. A clipped ball from free kick on the edge of the area that was flicked on by Lewis and wrong-footed everyone bemused many of the home fans as it had been entirely the kind of thing that they had not looked like doing before today.

THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT

As Parkinson would admit in his post-match analysis, Chester did not do enough to win the game today. But neither did Morecambe, and while the Shrimps have had a poor start to this season they were the bookies’ favourites for promotion, and the off-field issues have been what has been weighing heavy, issues which, apparently, are slowly moving towards being sorted.

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It was the first time it had happened for quite a while.

It is a privilege to be able to watch my team up and down the country, but when it’s away from home I’m always pitched up with the homers. Hearing every wail and groan against what Chester are doing, every cat call and jibe towards a Blues player, requires the fan in me to be pushed deep down and remain the consumate professional. I works for the most part. Well, says I.

But what has always been interesting to me is what rational fans think of what they have seen from the opposition. Because of the nature of my work I’m always required to be far less tribalistic about fandom, and present some level of lucid prose that has balance and warrants your time and attention.

A Hereford fan approached me at full time.

“Bloody good team, your lot,” he said.

“Yeah, we’ve started well and we’re all really excited for what we might do this season. Early days, though,” I replied.

“You were by far the better side, and one of the best sides I’ve seen down here for a while,” he continued. “And that number five, he must be on loan, no?!”

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This Bank Holiday Weekend will present the first challenges around rotation for Phil Parkinson and his Chester side.

Sitting pretty atop of the National League North after four wins from the opening four games, the Blues will take on the mantle of the early pace setters when they head to Hereford’s Edgar Street on Saturday, before welcoming Morecambe to the Deva Community Stadium on Monday (3pm kick off).

It has been a pretty much perfect start to life at the Deva for Parkinson, although he knows the challenges will arrive at some point. Hereford have three wins and a loss on the board so far and the expectation is that they will be one of the sides to be in the play-off mix this season.

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When I spoke to Phil Parkinson earlier in the summer he claimed that the teams managed by him and assistant manager Neil Sorvel tended to be slow starters.

While the blistering start to this National League North season, where Chester sit top with maximum points after four wins from four and conceding just once, was hoped for, it wasn’t perhaps expected.

Blues fans have warmed to this new squad and its management team very quickly. Winning tends to do plenty of heavy lifting when it comes to fostering good relations between players, staff and fans. At present, fans are well within their rights to display a little braggadocio, for you have to enjoy good moments as and when they arrive, because otherwise what is the point? It becomes utterly joyless.

As the old adage goes, a week is a long time in football. Chester in all likelihood won’t be going through this season with an unblemished record where disappointment was completely absent. That is acknowledged, and for many this season will be a success if progress is shown to be made on and off the field, which appears to be happening right now.

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Heading into pre-season there was plenty of optimism and excitement about just what the Phil Parkinson era at Chester might deliver.

Here was a manager who had been there and done it, having taken Altrincham to the National League and then into the play-offs, and one who had overseen a major overhaul in the football club from part-time to full-time on the football side.

Lots of lessons had been learned along the way, and his time in the National League North, and the league above and below had provided him with the requisite experience to put together what he felt would be a competitive team at Chester on a budget that will certainly fall short of the club’s main title rivals.

Concessions had to be made, though. Those oven-ready players of 26, 27 and 28 who are believed to have a higher chance of an immediate impact, or at least a less risky, more predictable one, cost good money at any level, and it they aren’t cheap down here in Division Six of the English pyramid.

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Financially, there is no parity across the English football pyramid, to put it mildly.

This is hardly searing insight here. Since its inception, the Premier League has become a financial juggernaut, and if you’re not part of that elite club of 20 members each year then you aren’t able to get a share of that sweet moolah that is going around. It is a league that generates more than £12bn every three years from broadcast and commercial income.

The battle to be part of it has led to a domino effect in football, one where the need to be pursuing that success is neverending. Club owners have long plugged the gap, but clubs have had to grow their commercial revenue streams beyond just selling front-of-shirt sponsorship and hospitality tables on matchdays.

As a fan-owned club, commercial revenue takes on an even greater significance. The ability to generate more revenue commercially has a direct correlation with how much can be provided to the manager to be impactful on the pitch. For a club like Chester, the difference of a deal or two could be what impacts being able to sign a player who can get the club over the mountain top.

There are few who understand how Chester Football Club truly works, and the importance of each cog in the machine, than Albert Davies.

Having been a teenage volunteer sitting in the press box at the Deva, to becoming media officer in a full-time capacity, Davies has been Chester’s general manager since early 2024. His remit focuses on the day to day running of the football club as one of the full-time paid members of staff, while it also sees him head up the commercial activity at the club.

Commercial revenue at Chester has been on an upward trajectory. The Blues saw their commercial revenue for the financial year ending May 31, 2025, come in £23,000 above budget after a figure of £258,000 was achieved.

The club’s recent Boost the Budget campaign topped the £125,000 target, and while the continued willingness to support the club’s endeavours by fans has become vitally important to the Blues’ ability to compete, Davies knows that the club has to show up in a big way on their side.

“The fans do an incredible job every year through season tickets, new shirts, Boost the Budget hitting £125,000 again,” Davies told The Seal. “But the club has to do its bit too. We don’t want to keep going back to the same well. We want to be innovative, whether that’s through partnerships or making the most of our facilities. The more we can generate off the field, the more successful we’ll be on it.”

The summer has been a busy one for Davies and Chester commercially.

The search for a new title sponsor for the stadium reached its conclusion after three years, with a community-led initiative seeing it renamed the Deva Community Stadium, with a number of local ‘partners’ coming on board to bring about the desired financial outcome for the club.

All four stands have had sponsorship, there has been new partners such as PW Gates come on board as shorts sponsors, while TIC have become the club’s first training apparel sponsor. There is also the potential for commercial revenue to be earned in the future through the proposed development of a padel facility on the Deva car park.

The washing machines that fans see when driving into the stadium may look out of place, but for a club that doesn’t own its own ground every potential avenue has to be explored and revenue generation potential maximised. Innovation is key.

“To have all four stands sponsored, and soon to be in a position to launch a new stadium sponsorship scheme, those are big ticket items,” said Davies.

“They’re vital to how this football club runs.

“We’ve got continued commitments from Edwards Homes and MetLab, we’re in the middle of a three‑year deal with Hardtech for the main stand, and we’ve welcomed Layer 4 to the south stand for the next three seasons. Those long‑term agreements are hugely important, not just for this season but beyond.

“With the stadium sponsorship scheme, we’ve already got four partners signed up, which is fantastic. We’re three years out from having a naming‑rights partner, and while we’ve been close before, this scheme gives businesses and individuals a more affordable route into sponsorship.

“Thanks to one partner’s generous donation, we’re close to installing LED signage on the front of the building, which makes the sponsorship more appealing and helps us promote everything we’re doing. We’ll be announcing those partners soon, and we’re excited to bring more on board.”

For Chester, the need to keep pushing forward on the commercial front is relentless.

From a reputational standpoint, where once it was a challenge to get local businesses involved in the club due to the negative outside perception, certainly under the old co, the business community is seeing the rather unique benefits of partnering with a football club that is going against the grain a little.

But success certainly helps, too, and with the Blues having made a perfect start to life in the Phil Parkinson era, there will be hope that an additional knock-on effect of on-pitch triumph in the not too distant future can make the club even more compelling.

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Fourteen years.

Think about how much has happened in that timeframe in life and football. I’ll tell you what hasn’t happened until tonight; Chester winning their opening three games of the season.

Yes, I am still writing this from a hotel bar. I am home this week and I couldn’t tell you how guilty I feel for writing my musings on a game I was 2,368 miles away from this evening. Holidays will be booked accordingly next year.

I cannot tell you how well the Blues played, which feels incredibly fraudulent of me. But what I can do is offer a little insight into a couple of snippets from the evening that have been bubbling under the surface.

First off we’ve got to address Ma’kel Campbell.

That Morecambe, a side who were already preparing for their National League return in nine months time according to the Twitterati, could have him in the building and be so blind to what he possesses is rather baffling, but given their struggles last season, maybe he wasn’t in the environment to thrive.

His 57th-minute strike earned Chester a 1-0 win at Darlington and maintained the Blues’ perfect start to the season under Phil Parkinson. Three games in a sitting pretty. Campbell has scored in each one of them.

At Warrington Town last month I was stood near who I assumed to be Campbell’s father. He was kicking every ball the 19-year-old was and trying to gee him up and get him focused at every moment. By this time Campbell already had an inkling that there might be a spot in this Chester squad for him.

Campbell came in with little expectation of him. As is the case with the vast majority of trialists, they are there to make up numbers in games and training but while having the chance to potentially earn themselves something permanent if they manage to suitably impress and fill a need.

Parkinson wasn’t really looking for Campbell. He had wanted a player with some creativity, and the Blues had other more widely-known names in for training during that period, but the former Arsenal and Fulham academy player, in Parkinson’s own words, made himself impossible to ignore.

It isn’t just his skill with the ball at his feet, his ability to work in tight spaces and the creativity he possesses, it is that he is dead serious about making a good career for himself in the game and understands that he has to jump through all the hoops and put the work in to achieve that goal. That is the same for many of the players signed this season. They have a burning ambition for more and for improvement.

A few short weeks ago, Campbell would have been just another ‘A Trialist’. Now he is a vital cog in the Blues machine and Chester will already be looking at ways of ensuring they are adequately protected in the future, for there are sharks in these waters.

And this is it. This early run doesn’t seem surprising.

I said recently that I don’t think a case can be made for Chester as a football club being more professional than it is right now. There is alignment across the club and greater unity and harmony. There also appears to be a plan for beyond May. Parkinson has been a driving force in this, and he has risked a lot here. Much change has been made, and results are expected.

Three games is all it is, but three wins and the manner of them is mightily impressive.

The hunger of Campbell and the other talents handed the chance to prove they are good enough for better is what will drive the Blues forward this season.

That feeds into Connor Murphy.

Murph, 18, signed his first senior deal at Chester last month. Unless you had been watching the youth team last season then he may have been something of an unknown.

But even from some of my earliest conversations with Parkinson, the Blues boss has spoken of Murphy in glowing terms. From the first sessions he felt he was someone who could be impactful not only for the future and in cameos from the bench, but as a senior member of the squad, a starter, pretty early on.

To do that on a Tuesday night away at Darlington and contribute to success is outstanding, and it speaks to his character in that he is ready to take on such duties.

Parkinson places much in character. It is a core value when he signs players. Some players just have that natural confidence to not feel out of place or freeze when their moment is handed to them. The Chester boss was confident that Murphy had the mental attributes as well as the physical and technical ones to make a difference.

In fact, so impressive has he been for Chester in pre-season, the need to go out and add another midfielder in the centre of the pitch wasn’t deemed necessary, which helped the club add greater depth in other areas.

Any concerns about whether or not Parkinson would put any faith in Chester’s youth will likely have been put to bed. Murphy is a part of the senior squad now and will be utilised as such. The manager expects him to continue on his growth trajectory, as do many at the club. With Oskar Rosenblatt also already tasting action this season, the academy representation remains strong.

When Parkinson was quizzed earlier this month on which of the players fans should be most excited about, his answer was Connor Murphy. He will need the room to grow and make mistakes, but it’s exciting to think what Chester might have in the building.

That’s before we go through the rest of this squad and their flying starts.

Off for more Efes.

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Before I try and write something worthy of your subscription I should probably caveat it with the fact that I am typing this from a hotel bar in Turkey.

When I booked the annual family summer holiday The Seal was an idea, nothing more, and one that I wasn’t sure when I would be able to bring it to life. But here we are, nine months on from kicking it off and it’s become an enormous part of my life again.

As many of you will be able to attest to, there are few joys as special as lording it over other football fans who don’t support their local club and understand the true meaning of ‘success starved’.

“You don’t see many of them.”

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Thank you for supporting The Seal and allowing journalism to return to the Blues at a time when local coverage of football teams is disappearing. Your support means the world.

You can get occasional free public posts by signing up to The Seal, but for the full experience, including news, views, interviews, exclusives, podcasts, videos and around 250 Blues stories a year, plus access to the full archive, consider becoming a paid subscriber for £5 per month.

Billy Waters has played in front of some big followers.

A career spent largely in the EFL has seen the 31-year-old forward take in spells at Crewe Alexandra, Cheltenham Town, Northampton Town, Doncaster Rovers, Cambridge United, Wrexham, Torquay United, Oldham Athletic and FC Halifax Town, among others.

His arrival at the Blues during the summer added some required experience to what is a relatively young Chester squad under boss Phil Parkinson this season.

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Ahead of the National League North kicking off on Saturday, a directive was communicated from the FA in relation to an independent health and safety review.

The review was related to the tragic death of Chichester City striker Billy Vigar, 21, in September of last year when he collided with a concrete barrier while attempting to keep a ball in play during a match at Wingate & Finchley.

Vigar suffered a fatal brain injury that sent shockwaves through English football and prompted an FA commissioned safety review ahead of the 2026/27 season around the issue of having solid brick, breeze-block or concrete walls around football stadia. The findings were pretty blunt in that it was concluded solid barriers “no longer permit safe play” and that they must either be removed or have padding placed in front of them to be compliant.

Across the National League System, steps one to six, clubs have been informed that they must remove all solid brick, breeze-block or concrete walls, and if removal is impossible due to structural issues, then they must be fully padded. This action is required to be taken “as soon as reasonably practical.”

This news was not a shock to Chester chiefs. The Deva Community Stadium has four solid concrete walls in front of each stand, and there will be a need for change to be made in some way. Quite how far that change goes is yet to be determined, as is just who will be footing the bill for what will be pretty seismic changes across the Non-League pyramid.

The Seal understands that both the East and West Stands at the Deva won’t require the walls to be taken down, although there will be padding required, but what happens to the wall behind the South Stand and the Harry McNally Terrace will be a focus of much dialogue between the clubs and relevant bodies.

Padding may well be enough, but more could be required to ensure compliance.

The club are expected to officially communicate with fans over the issue in the coming days, but general manager Albert Davies spoke on the issue to The Seal following the Chorley win on Saturday.

“This will impact most clubs,” said Davies.

“This was part of a wider review and we have been in consultation with the relevant bodies after the review was undertaken following the tragic death of Billy Vigar.

“We have been in dialogue. We know that there are things which we will have to do. People would have seen the initial announcement at the back end of this week, and this coming week we should be in a position to say something more specifically about Chester Football Club’s own circumstances.”

Alterations to the surroundings of the pitch aren’t the only thing that could be changing soon at the Deva after it emerged Flintshire County Council had granted planning permission to Pick Padel Limited for a padel and pickleball facility to be built on part of the car park at the football club.

Plans submitted outline a new leisure development featuring four padel courts, an additional singles court and three pickleball courts. The scheme also includes a reception area, changing facilities, café and parking, with the supporting hub set to be built from repurposed shipping containers. There will also be parking for 37 cars.

The plans were initially submitted back in November of last year but received approval at a planning committee meeting on Friday.

Repurposing part of the car park will, of course, impact the amount of space the club has for matchday parking, but Davies says that there is the potential for significant financial upside for the football club, and that conversations have already been held with regards to easing any potential parking issues.

“We’ve had to be patient throughout the process, but we’re now really excited that Pick Padel Ltd have been granted planning permission to proceed with their development at the Deva Community Stadium,” Davies told The Seal.

“The plans will include both covered and uncovered Padel courts, Pickleball courts, as well as a café and changing facilities, all within part of the existing car park area.

“We’re now working through the next stages with all of the relevant parties, including the proposed sub-lease agreement involving Chester FC, Pick Padel and the local council.

“This represents a really exciting opportunity for the football club to generate significant additional income, while also opening up a number of potential new revenue streams in the future.

“As a club, we recognise that we will have to sacrifice a number of matchday car parking spaces to facilitate the development, but we believe the benefits of bringing a new facility to the site, with activity taking place 365 days a year, will far outweigh that.

“We are actively exploring alternative parking arrangements with local businesses in the area, as well as the potential introduction of a matchday shuttle bus. This could help mitigate the impact on matchday parking while also supporting our wider Net Zero commitments.”

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The Blues are up and running.

Goals from Ma’kel Campbell and a late Billy Waters winner secured the three precious points for Chester on the opening day at Chorley as the Phil Parkinson era got off to a flying start.

The summer churn of players meant that the team that took to the pitch at Victory Park barely resembled the one that finished the campaign with a defeat in the National League North play-offs at Macclesfield back at the end of April.

Only Declan Weeks, Tom Peers, Nathan Woodthorpe and Connor Woods remained from that loss, with Parkinson having brought about wholesale changes on the playing side. There were no fewer than seven debutants from the starting line-up, with a further four from the bench, including academy graduate Connor Murphy.

Just as we wouldn’t be leaping to conclusions about what we might expect from this Chester side had they have lost in the Lancashire sunshine, we shouldn’t be doing the same thing on the back of a maiden victory. But there were some encouraging signs, and some interesting bits of note as the Blues delivered in front of the vocal backing of 800 away fans who headed home with the sweet contentment that only three points can bring.

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Goals from Ma’kel Campbell and Billy Waters secured a first win in charge for Chester boss Phil Parkinson on the opening day of the National League North season at Chorley.

Campbell’s 26th minute strike and Waters’ bundled effort three minutes from time cancelled out Elliott Taylor’s leveller on the hour mark as Parkinson’s Blues side controlled the game for the most part at Victory Park in front of some 800 travelling fans, and while there was plenty to ponder for the Blues boss in terms of how he wants his side to look, this was matchday one of 46 and there were plenty of positive signs. The ability to pull a result out of the bag when needed chief among them.

While the pre-season friendlies had seen Chester grown in stature and confidence, when it came to the opening day it was always going to be something of an unknown just how the Blues would actual apply themselves in the Lancashire sunshine.

The sun was out, as were the boys in blue, and the you could feel the buzz of excitement and anticipation. A big Blues following roared Phil Parkinson’s charges in from their final warm-up and gave them an even heartier welcome when they emerged ready for action.

Chorley were big and physical. That was very much to be expected. Given Chester’s likely preference for ball dominance, Chorley were always going to be direct and aiming to stifle the Blues in possession as high as they could, and so that proved to be the case, with the full back outlets of Nathan Woodthorpe and Sam Reed closed down quickly to deny an outlet.

It was a nervy opening, where few Blues players looked comfortable receiving the ball.

On four minutes it could have been the worst possible start. Declan Weeks got himself in all kinds of trouble in the box before Mike Calveley got in front of him, with Weeks rather clumsily felling the Chorley man, and referee Jonathan Maskrey wasting little time in pointing to the spot.

In front of a packed away end, Magpies striker Anj Popoola strode forward, stuttered his run up and proceeded to fire well wide of Luke Hewitson’s left-hand post. It was celebrated like a Blues goal.

Immediately after, Hewitson was caught out by the newly introduced rule where the goalkeeper has to release the ball from a goal kick within eight seconds. Chorley were awarded a corner for Hewitson’s breach, which they dealt with, but it did little to settle the visiting nerves.

The next 15 minutes continued in a similar vein. Chester dominated the ball and, as expected, the central defenders and Hewitson saw a lot of it at their feet, as did Weeks who dropped deep to pick up possession at every available opportunity. But Chorley weren’t for being pulled out of shape, and there was little in the way of meaningful attacking action at either end. The first touches continued to be on the heavy side for the most part.

But on 26 minutes the Blues found a way through when some sustained pressure ended with 19-year-old Ma’kel Campbell found a yard of space on the edge of the box before sending a raspingf effort high into the centre of Li-Bau Stowell’s goal. The Chorley stopper should have done better, but Campbell’s willingness to get an effort away was rewarded with a debut goal.

Chester started to relax the shoulders and move the ball around with a little more freedom, with Jake Griffin and George Burroughs particularly impressive and forging an encouraging early partnership at the heart of the Blues defence.

Some good work from Reed down the right saw him cut inside and fire over, but Chester wasted a glorious opportunity to double their advantage on 41 minutes when a rare break from midfield created a three on two for the Blues, with Campbell feeding Billy Waters who then squared to Tom Peers, but with only Stowell to beat, Peers couldn’t compose himself and fired over from close range. The net should have been bulging.

Chorley pressed in the final five minutes, with Popoola heading wide from six yards when well placed at the back post, but the Blues managed to see out the half to head in a goal to the good.

SECOND HALF

The opening minutes of the second half saw Chester looked a little disjointed, but they soon managed to regain their composure and the first meaningful chance of the second 45 would land at the feet of Dan Ward who snatched at his shot from a Reed pull back from 12 yards out after initially getting the ball caught under his feet.

Much like they had been for much of the first half, Chester were on top, albeit they weren’t translating their possession into making inroads in the final third often enough.

But on the hour mark they found themselves pegged back.

A long ball forward had Chester turned around and Taylor gave chase, tussling with Reed before the Chorley number 22 managed to watch the bounce of the ball in the box, chesting it down before unleashing an unstoppled angled half volley beyond Hewitson into the far right-hand corner. Against the run of play, yes, but Chester just hadn’t been able to make their dominance on the ball count.

Chorley had their tails up for the first time in the game, and the space that hadn’t been afforded to them for much of the game now started to open up and their own play became more expansive as a result, with the Blues backline having to repel a more purposeful Magpies attack.

Jacob Hazel was thrown into the action on 68 minutes and soon after could have found himself on the scoresheet, coming deep to collect a pass from Woods 30 yards out before advancing between the Chorlet centre backs in the area only to see his effort from 10 yards blocked by Max Hunt.

Chester looked on the hunt for a winner, and on 87 minutes it arrived. A wonderful forward ball from the excellent Griffin was brought down well by Ward, who managed to poke it across goal where Waters was lurking to bundle home to cue pandemonium in the away end.

Further opportunities would arrive before the game was out, with Waters nodding wide from a wonderful position from a Ward assist across the box, while Kofi Moore almost found the next from the right hand side after he sprung the offside trap but he could only see his 10 yard effort cannon off the post and cleared to safety.

Ben Lomax came on for the final four minutes of added time as Parkinson looked to ensure a maiden three points for his reign, and while Sam Fielding’s header forced Hewitson into a good stop, the Blues were well worth the three points, but will be frustrated they didn’t create clearer daylight long before Waters’ winner.

A win on the opening day away from home, however, is nothing to be sniffed at.

STATS

CHESTER: Hewitson; Burroughs, Griffin, Reed, Woodthorpe; Weeks, Ward, Woods (Moore 78), Campbell (Murphy 88); Peers (Hazel 68), Waters (Lomax 90). SUBS: Davies, Kenny, Rosenblatt.

Goals: Campbell 26, Waters 87.

Yellow cards: Woods, Weeks, Woodthorpe.

Attendance: 1,996 (800 from Chester).

The new National League North season begins for the Blues at Chorley tomorrow, and having signed no fewer than 15 new players and three academy players having penned their first senior deals, the squad numbers have never been more important in the opening weeks of the season.

Here’s a list of who will be wearing what for the Blues in what is the beginning of the Phil Parkinson era at the Deva Community Stadium.

SQUAD NUMBERS

1 – Luke Hewitson - GK

2 – George Burroughs - CB/RB

3 – Nathan Woodthorpe LB/LWB

4 – Declan Weeks CM

5 – Jake Griffin CB

6 – Jack Kenny CB

7 – Tom Peers ST

8 – Jack Bainbridge CM

9 – Jacob Hazel ST

10 – Dom McHale AM/CM

11 – Billy Waters AM/ST

12 – Dan Ward CM

13 – Billy Davies GK

14 – Connor Murphy CM

15 – Isaac Burgess CB

16 – Sam Foley CB/CM

17 – Connor Woods RM/RWB/AM

18 – Dan Kennedy CM

19 – Jefferson Abreu RW/LW/AM

20 – Ma’kel Campbell AM

21 – Harry Deakin RB/LB

22 – Alex Brown GK

23 – Oskar Rosenblatt ST

24 – Ben Lomax CB/RB

28 – Alfie Jones-Mellor CM

31 – Kofi Moore RW/LW

33 – Sam Reed LB/RB/RM/LM

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Chester have signed promising young defender Ben Lomax following his release from League Two side Port Vale.

Centre back Lomax, 20, who can also operate as a right back or right wing back, has been in training with Chester during pre-season and had made a lasting impression on Blues boss Phil Parkinson and assistant manager Neil Sorvel. He has signed a one-year deal at the Deva Community Stadium, with an option for a further year.

The addition of the 6ft1ins Warrington-born player adds further depth to the Blues backline, which had looked a little light when compared with other departments. George Burroughs, Jack Kenny and Jake Griffin made up the recognised centre back options, although veteran Sam Foley can be deployed in that role if required.

But Parkinson wanted versatility from his squad for this forthcoming National League North campaign, which begins at Chorley tomorrow afternoon (3pm kick off), and Lomax brings that, as well as fitting in with the profile of player who the Chester boss has targeted, players with age on their side and a high ceiling of potential who will benefit from a full-time training environment and the chance of first-team football.

“From the moment we started looking at Ben, he ticked every box in our talent identification process for a centre-back,” said Parkinson.

“He’s quick, athletic, physically imposing, comfortable in possession and has the personality and character that we believe are essential to succeed here. He’s still young, but he has an excellent foundation and, most importantly, a real hunger to keep improving and establish himself in senior football.

“We believe Chester is the ideal environment for him to take that next step. We’re building a young, ambitious squad that wants to play progressive football, and Ben has all the attributes to become an important part of a really exciting back four. His profile fits exactly with the direction we’re taking as a football club.

“We’re ambitious, Ben is ambitious, and we believe this is a partnership that can help both continue moving forward together.”

Lomax has already tasted senior football in both the EFL and in the National League North.

He made three EFL appearances and one appearance in the FA Cup during his time with the Valiants, with his professional debut in the EFL Trophy lauded by Vale coach David Dunn as the best he had ever seen.

Successful loan spells at Peterborough Sports and Redditch United arrived in 2024/25, with Lomax a regular during his 15 games with the Turbines. He now will challenge Griffin, Kenny and Burroughs for a starting berth and provide both competition and cover for Sam Reed on the right hand side.

Lomax becomes signing number 15 for Parkinson, with all additions having arrived on a permanent basis, with the Chester boss not keen to rely on loan players, choosing instead a younger profile of player that he and the backroom team can work with on a daily basis.

The Blues were close to budget with the signing of Ma’kel Campbell recently, while a number of first senior deals were also handed out, as well as the addition of teenage midfielder Alfie Jones-Mellor.

Dan Kennedy and goalkeeper Alex Brown have already left on season-long loans to Vauxhall Motors and Lower Breck, respectively, while there are likely to be some temporary spells away from the club to get game time for other young players in the coming weeks.

The ability to get the deal done and increase the playing budget to facilitate the new arrivals and changes made has been helped by some additional Boost The Budget funds and commercial sponsorship that has since arrived.

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