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By his own admission, the Midland Football League system wasn’t something Phil Parkinson had an encyclopaedic knowledge of.

The Premier Division of that particular competition sits at Step Five of the English football pyramid, with the National League North at Step Two. To make the leap and be impactful a rung higher can be a challenge, but taking into account a jump of three divisions, there is a significant gulf in class.

Jefferson Abreu made the jump during the summer. The 22-year-old inked a one-year deal with the Blues after a fine, free-scoring campaign with Northwich Victoria where he scooped the league’s Player of the Year accolade.

Abreu’s name came across Parkinson’s desk in the opening days of his Chester reign, and the Blues interest of the Blues boss was immediately piqued by the young attacker. He fit the age profile Parkinson wanted, he had hunger and desire, not to mention some obvious raw talent, and he also had the size and physicality, being over six-feet tall, to be able to better handle the rigours of National League North football.

We’re 13 games in and Abreu took his chance some weeks back, his goal to seal a 4-1 win over Worksop Town being a high watermark. That was until last night.

After the 3-1 defeat to South Shields on Saturday, where it must be said Chester played very well for 60% of the contest, a positive reaction from a result perspective was required against a Marine side who had been on a run of three wins and a draw coming to the Deva Community Stadium. Bobby Grant’s men are very much a well-drilled outfit.

Chester had to cope with a visiting side that were happy to camp, to stifle any desire the Blues had to get in behind. A goal on the counter from Cole Simms on the hour mark to hand Marine the lead against the run of play could’ve seen the hosts wilt and bow under the pressure of delivering in front of the home faithful, but the fans remained on-side, they played a role in driving their team on, and when Sam Foley nodded a leveller on 69 minutes it was a case of all hands to the pump to get the Blues the three points they deserved, three points which move them to within four points of the summit of the league.

And then there was Jeff.

Coming off the bench Abreu made a positive impact before his goal with his livewire style, and when he found the net with nine minutes of normal time remaining it was the new high watermark of his Chester career. He has shown his capability to be an impactful player at this level, reaffirming the belief that this is not only a level at which he belongs, but one which may well be beneath him if he can continue on the current growth trajectory he is on.

Taking a punt on players from further down the non-league rungs is something that the late, great Harry McNally used to have a nose for. Looking at some of those to have been scooped up by Parkinson, including the likes of Abreu and Kofi Moore, it appears that the current Chester boss has a similar sense when it comes to talent identification.

It feels like we’re starting to get more of a sense of what we might come to expect from this Chester group.

There have been ups and downs thus far, but the fact of the matter remains that with 13 games on the board, given the strength and budget of some of the teams that the Blues have to compete with at this level of football, that their current position of fifth and within striking distance of the early pacesetters is something that most would likely have taken at this juncture. Phil Parkinson certainly would have.

Marine was one of those cold Tuesday night home games where classics are hard to find, but where the necessity to get in and get a job done is what separates those who drift during this part of the season to go from play-off chasers to mid-table fodder, or even worse. It’s so very easy to fold on occasions like that, especially when it is a high stakes game for Chester players each and every week.

Chester have a remarkable fan base that has been through more than any other fan base in the country. You name it, we’ve experienced it, well, apart from a trip to Wembley that is.

We are well aware of our history, both as a former Football League club and as a fan-owned club that had to rise from the ashes of destruction. We remain passionate as ever, the fan base growing in terms of its younger element.

But the weight of pressure to perform in the blue and white stripes is far heavier than it is for those wearing the claret and blue of South Shields or the white of Marine. For young players especially, it can sometimes be overwhelming, but there appears to be a strong character in this group, demonstrated in the fact that they got the job done against Marine at home. They got the job done against Bedford Town at home. They got the job done against Spalding United at home. Three games won in the final 10 minutes of a game, something that Parkinson himself alluded to.

This was a game where Chester were well aware of the opposition they were facing and how they would approach proceedings. They kept plugging, kept staying true to their beliefs and their playing philosophy.

Three home wins on the bounce, with the chance to make it four this weekend against Hednesford Town, is cause for optimism, and some of the question marks around the direction of travel for Parkinson’s men are starting to find answers. There remain some deficiencies, but the core of what is required appears to be in place.

UNBELIEVABLE, JEFF

Abreu has already proved a hit with supporters.

You can see how raw he is, but there is something incredibly endearing about that. You’re seeing a player grow and grasp a golden opportunity in real time and you feel like you’re part of that journey with him.

When he spoke to The Seal a few weeks back about how his mum had carried on watching the highlights of his goal against Worksop for weeks after it was something I could very much believe. I can only imagine how many reel views the winner against Marine will receive, but there will be plenty more to come.

Parkinson commented in his post-match interview that playing Abreu more centrally as a centre forward on occasion might be an option. It’s a conversation that I’ve had with a few people, especially given the fact that our central striking options have been limited outside of Billy Waters’ excellent contribution thus far.

He has the attributes to fill that role and provide another option in terms of pace and physicality, he also proved himself to be a clinical finisher, something that would be backed up by his 20 goals from wide positions for Northwich last season.

We may well see a bit more of that moving forward in order to maximise what he can give us and for us to unlock even more of his potential that has so far been confined, until last night, to making a mark from wide areas, where some games find players who occupy such positions marginalised. Maybe Hednesford this weekend might provide another chance to see what that looks like.

DRINKING FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

I’m a big Sam Foley fan. His makeshift appearance at centre back against Morecambe aside, he’s been excellent in that midfield area, taking on the role in a midfield that still missed Dan Ward and Jack Bainbridge, and where Connor Murphy still needs to have his workload managed to ensure there’s no burnout.

Foley’s career as a professional started in 2007. Murphy wasn’t born until 2008.

But again last night he was important. First notching his first goal for the club with a glancing header to restore parity, but also the way his experience rubs off on those around him. He is always composed and he rarely picks the wrong pass. He is exceptional and doing the ordinary and the basics, without that intending to sound at all disrespectful.

Foley played 90 minutes on Saturday and 90 minutes again on Tuesday. He turned 40 last week. That is a testament to the professional he is and how he looks after himself. He obviously isn’t a man for the future plan but he is the man for the here and now, and he will continue to be an important player on and off the field for Chester this season.

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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.

Up until the hour mark at South Shields there was little concern that Chester wouldn’t return with something to show for their efforts in the North East.

The game, poised at 1-1, had ebbed and flowed but Chester, who had enjoyed the better of the first half of the first half, were having the better of the first half of the second half.

In some grim conditions at the Wolf Competitions Stadium, where the driving wind and rain provided a major challenge for both sides, Chester looked to be in a position to push on and take the game away from their hosts, for whom their manager Mike Williamson had come in for significant criticism from sections of his own team’s supporter base.

The hosts were making mistakes, Chester were pressing well and pinching back possession in dangerous areas. But as has been the tale of the tape on more than one occasion this season, the lack of guile and a cutting edge in the final third once again cost the Blues dearly, as did two individual errors that allowed South Shields to earn three points that saw them leapfrog Chester into fourth, with the Blues slipping to seventh spot, occupying the final play-off spot.

There is a whole lot of financial muscle that separates Chester and South Shields off the pitch. But on the pitch the Blues had more than enough about them for large parts of the game to demonstrate that there was no gulf in quality in some areas. What they did have was a clinical nature in the final third, the ability to convert and make the most of small margins.

Phil Parkinson alluded to it in his post-match interview, that the lack of “clinicality” was what was separating his side from coming away from places like South Shields, a club heavily backed financially who want nothing less than the National League North title this season, with three points, and the reality of making the long trek back licking their wounds.

At this moment it isn’t something that really rests on the shoulders of one person. Billy Waters is doing his fair share. His 21st-minute opener, a smart angled finish from inside the box, was his seventh goal in 12 starts in all competitions. His conversion rate would stand up against most in the league. He is the man to find the space and find the net.

But it is around him in that final third that falters at times. Decision making has been problematic at key times, and that is something that can be a hallmark of younger teams. Parkinson knows there are more gears to move through with this group, but if Chester are to attain their goals then they will have to find a way to be what the likes of South Shields were going forward.

It wasn’t a Paul Blackett or Cedwyn Scott-led show, although Scott did hit the leveller on 28 minutes after he reacted quickest to a ball in the box following an initial good save from emergency loan goalkeeper Joe Wallis in the Chester sticks.

The movement between midfield and attack was really where the fine margins existed, and Shields did a good job of overrunning in those areas at key moments.

It wasn’t a 3-1 game, not even close. The final 20 minutes saw the home side take on the role of being the dominant force, but before that it had been Chester who had been the team who had looked the strongest and had seemed well poised push on and take something from the game, which would have provided something of a statement, and a timely reminder that this is a club that can aspire to overcome the bigger budgets.

The clinical element in the final third is where the big moments are decided, and right now Chester are struggling to unlock that. Maybe the return of Ma’kel Campbell in the coming weeks, or Dominic McHale getting back to his Gloucester City form solves that particular problem, but for now it’s something which is threatening to prove negatively impactful in their hunt to be not just play-off contenders, but title challengers.

EMERGENCY LOAN

The Blues were already dealt a blow for the game with regular number one Luke Hewitson having to serve a one-match ban for an incident at Darlington earlier in the season.

In came Wallis, a New Zealand-born stopper from West Bromwich Albions’s under-21 setup. Of all the games to come in to for your first taste of senior English football, a non-league encounter in wind and rain in South Shields is not optimal.

He made a good stop to deny Blackett initially, but could do nothing about Scott’s follow up, and it would be unfair to apportion any blame on him for any of the three goals. But he didn’t have the skillset that Hewitson does.

Chester signed Hewitson as much for his ability with the ball at his feet as they did for his handling. The Blues utilise him often in that respect, and that was part of the game plan for South Shields. But Wallis wasn’t as comfortable in those moments and was almost caught out a couple of times. In the main, however, he wasn’t someone at who the finger of blame could really be pointed.

CHANGE OF APPROACH

Much of the work done around the game in the week had been on making sure that they pressed the home side at every opportunity, which is something that was a feature of the performance until midway through the second half.

Wesley Frimpong was handed a start and Sam Reed was given the slot on the left wing. Reed’s attacking qualities have shone through this season, and at South Shields he worked tirelessly and was Chester’s most potent offensive weapon who did ask questions of the home backline, doing well on a number of occasions to get to the byline and cutting the ball back.

Frimpong was full of energy and commitment, but his decision making at times was lacking. Picking up a yellow in the first half seemed to curb his contribution for the remainder of the afternoon, although he did provide some good service from the right hand side in the first 20 minutes of the second half that wasn’t taken advantage of.

But once the second goal arrived, where a through ball from back to front cut Chester open and allowed Toby Onanaye to advance on goal before choosing his spot, the game plan had to change and the Blues abandoned much of the practices that had seen them dominate large parts of the game up until that point.

The third goal, a similar finish from Caden Kelly after he reacted quickest to a poor Nathan Woodthorpe pass that didn’t reach Jake Griffin due to a slip, came after the shape had been lost and Chester were chasing the game. Woodthorpe’s contribution, it has to be said, as it has been for much of this season, was very positive.

There elements of positivity in the performance when the plan was being delivered as rehearsed, with Sam Foley once again showing up to be an important experienced hand in the centre of midfield. Foley turned 40 last week and still had the energy and hustle for another 90 minutes, which is a testament to how he has managed himself throughout his career.

UP AND DOWN

That is the nature of the beast in this division, and we know the script by now.

Parkinson has been adamant from the start that there will be higher levels this group can reach, but there are still tests along the way that they will be faced with and have to pass. Today was one of those and they came up short, but the league position is certainly no reason to sound alarm bells. Disappointment and frustration is understandable, but we’re still in the infancy of this current journey, and there are signs of a good side that can challenge this season, but we have also seen the areas where we need to make improvements, and soon.

Hereford lead the way so far. They were 6-0 victors over South Shields on September 13. That game came two weeks on from Chester earning a 1-1 draw at Edgar Street, where they really were deserving of all three.

Hereford, too, will have their own issue this season at some stage. They have a squad that has a significant make up of loan players who are forming an integral part of what they are doing. They will be at the whim of parent clubs, and they also haven’t had to cope with too much in the way of injury issues.

Chester will go on a run this season, probably more than once. But the real task for the first half of the season is making sure you do enough to be in the hunt, especially if you have a side that is young and has undergone major change. Things take time, and there is also the not so small matter of players such as Campbell and Jack Bainbridge to come back into the fold, as well as Dan Ward. Three first-team players who improve the options for Parkinson considerably.

Marine on Tuesday is important in terms of bouncing back with a positive result so swiftly ahead of another test against Hednesford Town on Saturday.

If the performance wasn’t there at all at South Shields, and for those in attendance they would have attested to Chester’s dominance in parts, then the result would have been looked at like an away day capitulation of sorts. But that’s not how it went.

The fans stayed behind to applaud the efforts at South Shields after a 3-1 defeat. That approach by the Blues faithful was very much appreciated by Parkinson and the players. Williamson, on the other hand, was being called a whole host of expletives by his own fans behind the goal as his side were on their way to a 3-1 win. Football is a funny game.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Jake Griffin - It was between him and Reed for this pick, and while we conceded three goals, Griffin was pretty much faultless for his part all afternoon, looking like the player who really dominated those opening games of the season.

He did his job alongside George Burroughs, and it would be hard to apportion any blame on the centre halves, especially with a stand-in keeper behind them. Griffin kept Blackett quiet all game and that is no mean feat.

WHAT THE MANAGER SAID

“Fuming, really, really, really angry. I felt like the preparation has been really good for coming into a top game like this. The lads were primed, the intensity of what they’ve been doing has been excellent. The information that they’ve been taking on, I’ve been really pleased with. But it comes down to individuals and individual abilities. Unfortunately for us, we’re just not where some of the South Shields players are. The clinicality that they showed in the top end of the pitch was a big difference. It’s something that we’re very aware of. We need to step up to that level, otherwise we won’t achieve our goals this season. Our players are very aware of that. They’ve just been told in no uncertain terms.

“I sort of looked at this as a bit of a benchmark game. We’ve come up short and question marks will be asked of ourselves, and rightly so. I’m extremely, extremely disappointed with that result because it was not a 3-1 game as well. The difference between the two teams was their ability to put the ball in the back of the net when they had their opportunities.

“It looks like there’s a big gap, a bit like the Buxton game. I thought we played much better than we did away at Buxton today against one of the best teams in the division. Difficult conditions for both teams, but really, really disappointed overall.

“They dealt with the conditions a little bit better. It should have suited us, really. Being able to pin them back with the wind, them going into the wind. I felt we did that really well. We forged our opportunities and scored a decent goal. Then they got one and got on top then. It becomes difficult because they’re a good team and they’ve got players that will exploit you.

“We need to be even braver then. We’ve got to be even braver on the ball. We’ve got to be even more tenacious. We didn’t want to come here and let them dominate the game. I’ve watched so much footage of them. There’s no way we were going to come here and just sit off them and allow them to do what they wanted. It takes a lot of bravery and fitness and intensity from the players to be able to do that throughout the game.

“Obviously, there’s going to be ebbs and flows. I thought the second part of the first half, they got their little bit of an ebb and flow in that point. We didn’t do enough to stop them. I thought the first part of the first half, we were superb.

“They were far more ruthless than us when they got opportunities. I was extremely disappointed with the penalty. I felt it was a penalty on Jeff (Abreu). Jeff, you’ve got to do a somersault and make it all theatrical. The ball’s not there. The lad makes contact with him. It’s a penalty and it’s 2-1. It’s a game-changing moment.

“Listen, I’m not going to rely on referee decisions, but that one’s really hurt us today. It really hurt us because that could change the face of the game completely. Obviously, we’d have to convert it. I might watch it back and it not be, but I was so adamant it was. His explanation to me was he didn’t do enough. He didn’t do enough to stay on his feet, maybe, which I find really difficult to swallow. There were soft contacts given all over the park, but that sounds like me being bitter and twisted.

“South Shields won the game because they were better on the day, but they weren’t 3-1 better than us.”

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Phil Parkinson hopes that Jacob Hazel’s return to Chester at the end of the year will see him show the best version of himself to Blues fans.

The 32-year-old former Boston United striker was one of the first new faces through the door at the Deva Community Stadium during the summer, taking the number nine shirt and arriving with a strong pedigree at National League North level and above.

But 10 games in all competitions failed to yield a goal for Hazel, who made his return from an ACL injury at the tail end of last season, one that kept him out of action for the best part of 12 months.

With Billy Waters ahead of him in being the striking spearhead for the Blues so far this season, Hazel found opportunities from the start limited, impacting his sharpness and form, and a decision was taken at the end of September that a move to his former club, Darlington, on a three-month loan would be the best course of action for all parties.

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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.

The National League North season is but 11 games old, but it feels like Chester have already experienced a campaign in miniature.

There has been hope and excitement, the euphoria of a four-game winning start, then the run that followed that caused some concern for some Blues fans, then the FA Cup highs and lows, not to mention the injury frustrations.

It has been a curious campaign. The positive has outweighed the negative significantly, and the brief five game challenging run after the rip-roaring start felt like it was Chester reverting to type. But to look at it objectively, the Blues are four points off top spot and sitting in fourth place. They have a young squad which manager Phil Parkinson feels will only get better, and he has retained a staunch belief that the trajectory is upward, especially given the fact he doesn’t believe that they have even started to hit their stride.

This weekend is a trip to sixth-placed South Shields, a team backed to be title challengers given the large financial backing they have received. But so far their record reads the same as Chester’s with six wins, two draws and three defeats, with a goal difference four worse than the Blues’ plus-five.

This weekend’s result won’t define a season, but it will be another important milestone in this season, and with the Blues having positioned themselves in the play-off places and within striking distance of the top, it carries significance.

“Fifth place and four points off the top is a fantastic position to be in, and given that I would have taken anywhere in the top half at this stage given the massive amount of changes that have been made I am delighted,” said Parkinson, speaking to The Seal.

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Ah, the Cheshire Senior Cup. That competition which exists year on year, where second string and youth team players battle it out for county supremacy.

Of all the pieces of silverware that Chester fans want to win, it probably ranks dead last, although when you’re a Blues fan you take the wins where you can find them when it comes to celebrating trophy success. The Supporters Direct Shield win at 1874 Northwich in 2019 still lives long in the memory.

But it has long served a real purpose for lower league managers. There is no Pontins League for us anymore, where reserve teams would play regularly in a competitive league. It’s now called the Central League and for EFL teams, albeit only 10 compete at present.

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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.

The Breakdown is back for another edition focusing on the week that was for the Blues.

This week takes a look at the Independent Football Regulator’s damning ‘State of the Game’ report that showcased just how bleak the financial picture was in English football, and how close so many clubs are to peril.

Of course, Chester being fan owned sees us as something of an outlier among the clubs risking it all to spend above their means, but there has been a domino effect for a long time in the game that has caused ripples down the pyramid, and when once it was only Premier League teams who were willing to roll the dice, Non-League teams are now very much part of the problem when it comes to being unsustainable businesses.

We also look at the weekend win over Bedford Town when Kofi Moore struck late on to bag a vital win for Chester from what had been a frustrating afternoon up until that point as the Blues had to contend with the visitors’ rather dark arts of momentum killing.

There’s also a look at Paul Tait’s arrival as youth team manager after a superb 18-year career at Everton, while we look ahead to the Cheshire Senior Cup clash at home to Hyde on Tuesday evening that might provide a return to action for some faces who have been absent for a while.

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Chester have appointed former Everton under-21 manager Paul Tait as the club’s new youth team manager.

Tait, 51, brings 18 years of elite player development experience within Everton’s Premier League Category One Academy, where he played a key role in developing a number of players who have gone on to establish themselves at the highest level, including the likes of Ross Barkley and Anthony Gordon.

A UEFA Pro Licence coach, Paul was appointed Academy Lead Coach for the Under-21s and Professional Development Phase at Everton in 2022, having previously managed the club’s U18s. He subsequently took charge of the U21s, a role he held until this summer.

Tait replaces Mike Allcock as youth team manager after he announced his decision to step down last month to pursue a new professional opportunity with his own business, and he will be tasked with keeping the conveyor belt of talent coming through to the first team at the Deva Communtiy Stadium and continue the young Blues’ success and growth on the pitch.

Chester general manager Albert Davies said: “We are thrilled to welcome Paul to Chester FC as our new Youth Team Manager.

“We undertook a rigorous recruitment process, with a number of highly credible candidates, which made it a difficult decision.

“However, Paul’s passion and enthusiasm, combined with his experience in the game and proven track record, made him the outstanding candidate for the position.

“His appointment represents a real coup for the club and an exciting opportunity to continue developing our youth programme.

“Since the scholarship programme was established in 2017, a tremendous amount of work by so many people has gone into building it into what it is today, and we’re looking forward to helping Paul to build on those strong foundations to ensure the programme continues to thrive and evolve.”

Tait, whose playing career included spells at Bristol Rovers, Hull City and Crewe Alexandra, will be a familiar face to some Blues fans having played for Chester City during a spell at the Blues in 2006, the striker being the final signed by Keith Curle during his time as manager.

He finished his playing career at Barrow in 2008 before embarking on his coaching career at Everton, one where he developed a strong reputation for bringing on talented players through the academy setup.

“I’m really excited to be here and really looking forward to getting going,” said Tait.

“It seems like a good fit for both parties, and the record that the football club has got at bringing through its own players is brilliant for any development coach.

“Everton was an amazing place for me. I have spent a lot of time there and learned so much from so many top people.

“I’m looking forward to getting started and to try and implement some new ideas.”

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Kofi Moore had already envisioned what it would feel like.

When the 21-year-old winger arrived from Bamber Bridge during the summer he was well aware of the size of Chester at National League North level, and how the fans form such an enormous part of the club’s appeal for players.

Sure, if you don’t show up and don’t do what fans expect, and that base level is endeavour, commitment and a never-say-die attitude, then don’t expect to be in the good graces for long. But if you can show those attributes, and bring a little something else to the table, then you’ll have fierce backing home and away.

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The right result arrived in the end, but good grief that was a frustrating watch.

Kofi Moore curled home a 20-yard effort on 89 minutes having been handed his first start for the club since his summer move from Bamber Bridge to earn Chester a valuable 1-0 win over Bedford Town and their dark arts at the Deva Community Stadium.

The 21-year-old, who was bright all afternoon, helped send the Blues into fourth in the National League North, four points behind league leaders Macclesfield. For a club that has felt a little gloomy these past few weeks after a challenging spell, to be in that position after 11 games played is a position most would surely have taken right now.

This was one of those games which raised the blood pressure. The visitors have their playbook, and it was pretty obvious from the get-go. Disrupt, delay and stifle any momentum. Don’t press, sit deep and seek to grind out the grimmest of draws.

To their credit, it almost worked. They had one or two talents who tried to get on the ball, such as Joe Castiglione, but this was a team who will set up in this manner on their travels many more times this season.

Chester boss Phil Parkinson had told The Seal earlier in the week that the Blues’ joy would come from being able to find a rhythm and counter their visitors. But Bedford didn’t allow for that, and when it came to trying to find a flow and momentum in the game, the constant theatrics and throwing to the ground, aside from the obvious injury that required a lengthy stoppage before Junior Gyamfi was stretchered off after coming off worse from a fair Moore challenge, meant that the game as a spectacle was hard to watch.

Referee Bilal Moosa failed to get a grip on proceedings at any point and allowed the nonsense to ensue, and when the final whistle sounded for the victorious Blues there was a sour end, with Eagles assistant manager Tony Fontanelle doing his best to try and give as many Chester players a piece of his mind as he could having riled up the home faithful with his own running battle in the second half with Chester’s kit man over some perceived shady goings on with the footballs.

But all of that was just noise and at least added some colour to a game that, while having some moments of quality, suffered terribly from a complete lack of rhythm.

With Gyamfi’s injury having added seen nine minutes of added time at the end of the 90, and with the prospect of ridiculously heavy traffic on the way home due to a road closure on Bumpers Lane due to a gas leak, Moore’s winner, which he conjured himself through hard work and tenacity before caressing a delightful finish in the bottom corner beyond the well-beaten Laurie Walker in the Bedford goal delivered smiles all around to end an afternoon that had largely been one of total frustration.

Chester had dominated the game, of that there could be no doubt.

Moore was sharp and willing to drive at his marker down the right flank from the off, while Sam Foley, who turns 40 next weekend, put in a strong display in central midfield. But it wasn’t a game where there was a host of man-of-the-match options, and while the sponsors nod went to Jefferson Abreu, who gave his award to Moore, it was really Moore and Foley who were in the running for the accolade.

The conditions didn’t help, with the swirling wind holding the ball up in the air and making it something of a lottery every time an aerial ball was played. Between that and the play acting, the moments of quality that had been on show in small bursts in the first half were largely forgotten. Ruben Butt, in what was his quietest game for Chester since signing on loan from Salford City, came close after he struck the bottom of the left-hand post from a central free kick outside the box midway through the first half.

Moore and Sam Reed were the strongest flank, with the two combining numerous times to good effect, something that bodes well for the rest of the season. It was a Moore/Reed one-two combination that put Moore in a great position in the first half inside the box, but his effort flew wide of the upright.

Billy Waters battled against the visiting tactics and the conditions, but he wasn’t able to find those pockets of space where he has managed to thrive since joining, with Bedford clogging their defensive areas to give little room for manoeuvre.

Neither Luke Hewitson or Walker had to make any real save, although Hewitson did well to hold a dangerous inswinging corner whipped in with pace in the swirling wind in the 99th minute, with the lack of work for the goalkeepers, allied with the low scoreline, demonstrating that this wasn’t a game filled with carefree attacking football. It was a slog for periods, but Chester came out on top, and after the 4-1 humbling at Spennymoor Town in the FA Cup last weekend, they needed a result.

The young defence that had done so well to concede nine goals in 11 games, eight less than title-favourites South Shields in fifth place, also looked pretty assured. The attacking unit for Bedford was cited by Parkinson as their key attribute, and they were nullified. A clean sheet and a competent performance in challenging circumstances will have helped grow confidence in the wake of a tough moment seven days previous. There had been talk about learning lessons, and it looked like some had been learned.

It also showed the promise of a squad. Foley is the elder statesman of this group, but when in central midfield he rarely makes the wrong pass and he helps bring an element of calm. Connor Murphy is the future and he has been excellent so far, but he needed a break and a little time out. It’s all part of development and nurturing his talent. Foley has shown he has a role to play this season, and a 99-minute stint at almost 40 in the centre of midfield shows he still has the engine.

Was it a performance that made you think that all that might have ailed Chester in recent weeks was all in the past? Probably not, no. But Chester got the job done in tough circumstances against a football team that tried to stop the football being played. These results are expected against opponents such as Bedford, especially at home, but you still have to go out and earn the right to win a game of football.

It’s also pleasing to see those given chances take them. Abreu recently, then Foley, and now Moore. The latter has had to wait for his chance but demonstrated he has a part to play this season, and is more than just an impact player for the last 10 minutes of games. It gives Parkinson a welcome headache.

We’re 11 games in and fourth. There are improvements to be made, but it does feel like this is a team that will develop and improve, largely due to its make up, as well as the additional time that is spent on the training ground and the greater support around the playing staff.

Let’s test the waters after 20 games. With a two-week break now and the chance to get some bodies close to fitness, and impactful ones too in the form of Ma’kel Campbell, Jack Bainbridge and Dan Ward, there are reasons for positivity. But sometimes, you just have to get the job done.

WHAT THE MANAGER SAID

Parkinson said: “The overriding feeling is really pleased for the players because we’ve had one or two games where we played really well and we haven’t got over the line. It was so important that we bounced back after last week and showed our fans that it hurt us. To get the result the way we did, obviously no coming back, even though the ref did his best to add as much time on as possible. Just the overriding feeling is pleased for the lads.”

“I thought we dominated the game like we do most games. I felt they disrupted the flow, which you’re going to do being the away team, we slowed things down. I really think Bedford have got some top players and we had to be on our defensive metal at all times, so we reduced them to very little. Out of a front line and attacking front line in this division, there won’t be many better than them.”

“That was the big concern for me. Obviously, emotions are high from last week. Desperate to maybe force the issue and we’ve done that at Buxton away where we should have held our composure and we didn’t in the second half and we got punished by going a little bit too gung‑ho. The lads are showing that they can take on information and learn from their situations.”

ON KOFI MOORE

“I’m so happy, because you love your players. All the players that are there and you’re desperate for them to do well. I know it’s been killing him not coming on or getting the minutes that he wants. All I asked him to do was show the best version of himself and I think it was a man‑of‑the‑match performance for me. I thought he was superb. He posed a real threat every time he went forward and if we were going to score it was going to come from that side. I’m so glad it was him that got the goal.”

ON WHERE CHESTER ARE AT

“Yeah, it’s just patience, isn’t it? I know football doesn’t have patience, especially when we’re at a club where we’re expected to win every single week regardless of obstacles in our way. We all knew what we were walking into coming here. Developing players is key and they’re two lads who are developing nicely and getting us the rewards that we need.”

“Yeah, I think that’s our fourth physically clean sheet in the league this season. I don’t think we kept any clean sheets at this point last season. So, a really big improvement. I think the team last season conceded 19 at the 10‑game mark. We’ve conceded nine, three clean sheets, four now. So, it’s a big improvement season on season. The lads are doing extremely well. It was topped off, obviously, being MBNA, 16‑year sponsors as well. That was a nice little touch for us to try and do that. It’s a big association for the football club. I felt it was important that we bounced back but also got that result for that kind of link.”

ON THE TWO WEEK BREAK

“We’re going to change the schedule slightly because we obviously have no games Saturday but going into Tuesday. So, where we’ve given them the Wednesday off, we’ll have a four‑day lead. It’ll be in Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday next week rather than Wednesday off and in Monday. Just changing it to get the most out of the lads who are coming back as well, to give them the best chance going into the Hyde (Cheshire Senior Cup) game on the following Tuesday, so we can load them up as much as we can without risking any injuries. Then, yes, we’ll hopefully be fully loaded, ready to go for the following week.”

ON THE FANS

“I thought the fans were really good today. I could really hear them. We need that, no matter what, win, lose or draw. I just want to say thank you to them for that. The few that stay behind to clap the lads, that’s huge as well. I’m trying to get that connection where we’re interacting more with fans, but we need them to give us what they gave us today and the lads will always give everything on the pitch. So a big thanks to the fans today.”

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On Wednesday, my seven-year-old son, Stefan, did his usual post-school routine of going up to his bedroom and getting changed into a full football kit to play imaginary games of football using our border collie as a goalie in the garden.

“Can I have a marker pen? Never mind.”

He comes downstairs five minutes later with an old Chester shirt, the one from 2019/20, with ABREU 19 scrawled on the back. And out he goes to take on Wrexham and win 15-0. Job done. Jefferson Abreu scored eight of the goals, the rest scored by Billy Waters. A good result for the imaginary Blues.

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Following Saturday’s 4-1 drumming at Spennymoor Town, a loss that saw Chester exit the FA Cup at the third qualifying round stage, manager Phil Parkinson was honest in his appraisal.

“If I had the money in my bank to reimburse all the travelling fans, I certainly would, because I know that’s how they’ll feel about that, that they’ve been let down,” the Blues boss told club media.

It was a chastening afternoon in the North East as Chester saw their hopes in a competition that can provide enormously valuable off-budget funds through success ended by a team sitting second bottom in the National League North.

A ten-minute spell midway through the first half, where the hosts raced into a 3-0 lead, meant that the contest was all but over by half time, and the Blues were faced with a long coach journey home to reflect on what was, with fans faced with the same arduous journey without a shred of joy to emerge from the trip to Brewery Field.

Football moves quickly, and the focus for Parkinson this week has been to ensure that Chester are adequately prepared to take three points in the league at the Deva Community Stadium this weekend.

On Monday, however, there was an inquest.

“After a result like Saturday you come in and go over things with a fine tooth comb,” Parkinson told The Seal.

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It’s a long old journey to Spennymoor.

Three hours, 168 miles and a trip up the A1(M) means that it is one of the lengthier treks that Chester have to undertake during the National League North season. They should have been doing it on Saturday, October 17. Two weeks from now, but Moors will have FA Cup engagements on that particular day.

When you lose at Spennymoor Town, those three hours or so feel like six, and that’s exactly how it will feel for the Blues players on the coach back from the North East this evening, for this was the first of two scheduled trips to Moors in 14 days, the second now to be moved, and one that ended with Chester unceremoniously dumped out of the FA Cup at the third qualifying round stage.

A spell of conceding three goals in 10 first half minutes effectively ended the game as a contest before the break. Former Gateshead, Leyton Orient and Motherwell striker Danny Johnson netted on 25 and 35 minutes before completing his hat-trick a little over 10 minutes after the break. Glenn Taylor, a thorn in Chester’s side for as long as the Blues have had to face the Moors in the past eight years, notched another, this time sandwiched between Johnson’s two first half strikes.

Billy Waters made it six goals in 11 games for Chester with a consolation two minutes after Johnson’s third, but there is little that can be done to gloss over a 4-1 defeat. It is the kind of defeat that can weigh heavy, and given the fact that Spennymoor, in the National League North, have won one in 10 and sit second bottom, this was not something that should be accepted as one of those things.

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For any football club, making gains on and off the field is incredibly difficult.

At the lower levels, to do that simultaneously is even more challenging given that there is such a strong correlation between heavy transfer and wage spend and success.

Under fan ownership that challenge becomes greater, and even more still when you throw into the mix a fanbase worthy of an EFL side who are hungry for success and have ambitions for something more than regional football and the National League North.

Chester, of course, fits into that bracket. They must live within their means without access to a revolving credit facility or additional borrowing, while at the same time trying to ensure growth year upon year, with the ultimate aim of aligning success and sustainability. That is something that doesn’t come easy.

This year there have been concerted efforts made to effect positive change in the coming seasons, with manager Phil Parkinson having sought to maximise his budget to incorporate greater support staff and professionalism, as well as additional contact time on the training ground, while focusing much of the playing budget resource on players who have a ceiling for growth, who could theoretically earn the Blues more money in the future from transfer fees which can then be reinvested into the football club on the playing side, fuelling the sustainable success mentioned earlier.

It is not an easy task, however.

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Chester have added to their squad depth with the addition of pacey right back Wesley Frimpong.

The 21-year-old Dutchman, brother of Liverpool full-back Jeremie Frimpong, has been training with the Blues for a number of weeks, impressing manager Phil Parkinson sufficiently for the club to offer him a deal.

With the exit of Jacob Hazel on loan to Darlington for the next three months freeing up some budget space, Frimpong is seen as a potentially important player for Chester, bringing a level of intensity on the defensive and attacking end that would better suit a like for like change for Sam Reed in games should the need arise.

Isaac Burgess, who isn’t the same make-up as Reed, has been the change more recently, with Reed having looked a little jaded in recent weeks before returning to his excellent best with a superb performance in the 4-1 win over Worksop Town on Saturday at the Deva Community Stadium.

Depth, and appropriate cover for players across the pitch, is something that Parkinson has been keen on since the start, and Frimpong falls into that category, as well as aligning with the profile of player that the Chester manager has wanted to bring to the club, younger players with a high ceiling for development and growth.

Frimpong, who is Manchester based, began his career in the academy at Bolton before spending the last two years in Austria with current Austrian Bundesliga champions and UEFA Champions League qualifiers LASK Linz, where he formed part of their development ranks.

Earlier this summer he had spent some time north of the border with Scottish Championship outfit Livingston, who Chester currently have striker Joe Boggan on loan from for the season.

He is available for selection for the FA Cup third qualifying round clash in the North East at Spennymoor Town this weekend (3pm kick off).

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Jacob Hazel remains part of Phil Parkinson’s plans at Chester this season.

The 32-year-old striker departed the Blues on a temporary basis on Friday in order to link up with one of his former clubs, Darlington, on a three-month loan deal.

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Chester needed that.

It’s been a bruising month for the Blues. Having won their opening four games of the National League North season under Phil Parkinson, the following five games saw them beaten three times and draw twice. The early positivity that had built up thanks to the rip-roaring start had slowly ebbed away, and questions around the potency of Chester’s attack, or lack of, were getting louder.

Last weekend’s narrow 2-1 win at Northern Premier League Division One West side Lower Breck, at a glorified school sports astroturf, snapped that sequence. It was a win that was expected, but its importance was significant. So, too, was the week to prepare that Parkinson and his assistant Neil Sorvel were afforded this week, a rarity over these past four weeks.

In the build-up to this week, Parkinson had held one to one meetings with all members of his squad to ensure they remained focused, or refocused, on what their duties were, and the role that they had to play.

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Chester striker Jacob Hazel has joined the Blues’ National League North rivals Darlington on a three-month loan.

The 32-year-old number nine joined Chester in the summer following his exit from National League side Boston United, but, despite a strong reputation as a goal-getter at this level, has struggled to make an impact for his new club in the final third as the Blues have struggled with their attacking potency.

Hazel, who returned towards the end of last season for the Pilgrims from an ACL injury that sidelined him from the penultimate game of the 2024/25 season, has been unable to rediscover his best form in a Chester shirt, and starting opportunities have been limited, appearing just three times in all competitions from the beginning, with seven substitute appearances. In his 10 competitive games for Chester he has failed to score.

He joins a Darlington side sitting second bottom in the National League North with seven defeats from nine, although he will be in familiar surroundings having featured for the Quakers where he played between 2022 and 2023, registering a 19-goal campaign in 2022/23, including a mid-season streak of 13 goals in 12 games between November and February.

Phil Parkinson’s side are in need of greater threat in the attacking third, but loanee Ruben Butt’s double against Lower Breck in the FA Cup last weekend gave rise to some hope from the Blues boss that they may have someone in the building with a more clinical nature in front of goal.

The door isn’t closed on a Chester return for Hazel, but the hope is that he can get regular football and a confidence boost away from the Deva to try and get back to the levels he had before his ACL injury.

Further additions could arrive at Chester in the not-too-distant future but it is unlikely, in the short-term at least, to be in the attacking third.

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Given the largely younger profile of Chester’s squad this season, there are high hopes when it comes to growth and realising potential.

The likes of Ma’kel Campbell, Luke Hewitson, Connor Murphy, Jefferson Abreu and Kofi Moore are all under the age of 21, and their teammates around them in the shape of Nathan Woodthorpe, Sam Reed and George Burroughs aren’t much older.

Some have already shown their hand when it comes to potential, while others are building. Chester is now a place, with full-time training and a support network of staff at a professional training complex, that is well positioned to aid development of these younger players.

There was a buzz around plenty of names during the summer when it came to Chester’s acquisitions. The name Jake Griffin was one of those to have decision makers at the club giddy about the ceiling of the 20-year-old, who spurned the chance of another year at Championship side Stoke City, where he had been under-21s captain and been an unused substitute on numerous occasions last season.

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Did Chester make harder work of Lower Breck that they needed to? Yes.

Was this a performance that will allay some of the fears that have been creeping in over the last fortnight? Probably not.

Are Chester in the next round of the FA Cup? Yes.

At the end of the day, that was the goal of the Blues’ trip to the Northern Premier League Division One West side in the second qualifying round of the world’s most famous domestic knockout cup competition.

Chester boss Phil Parkinson had spoken to The Seal in the week leading up to the game about how it was, essentially, a no-win game for his side. A win, even one far more convincing than what transpired, which was a 2-1 success thanks to a brace from Salford City loanee Ruben Butt, would have been the expected outcome. Parkinson said himself during the week that anything other that success would have been “unbelievably bad”.

A draw would have been met with plenty of criticism, and rightly so, and it would have required a game on Tuesday, disrupting further the plans for a full week of preparation that Parkinson had in mind for the home clash with Worksop Town in the National League North in seven days time. It would also have extended a run without a win to six games.

Defeat would have been unthinkable. It would have ranked up their with some of the lowest moments. Forgetting the level, which was only two leagues below the Blues, and the fact that Lower Breck are a good side, the optics looked terrible.

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Less than a mile from one of football’s most iconic stadiums lies the Anfield Sports and Community Centre.

While Liverpool’s football history includes Premier League titles and European Cups, the club which also resides in Anfield has a less illustrious honour roll.

With a capacity of little over 1,000, it is the home of Northern Premier League Division One West outfit Lower Breck, who on Saturday will welcome Chester for what will undoubtedly be the biggest game in the Liverpool-based club’s history, a club formed during the same summer as the reformed Blues back in 2010.

A 5-1 home success over Thornaby on September 5 earned Gary Moore’s men a crack at the Blues in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. Two tiers separate the two sides, and Chester head into Saturday’s clash as overwhelming favourites to progress to the third qualifying round, but nothing is cut and dried when it comes to the most famous domestic knockout football competition in the world.

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