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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.
Excellent review again Dave of last nights match!! Yes two players at the beginning and end of their careers but both having a brilliant night. What I like about the new bosses is they don’t waste time castigating the linesman and fourth official,which they could well have done with the linesman on the main stand side who missed so many fouls. So different to the Marine bosses who moaned and harassed the officials all night??!!
I'm fairly sure that Foley is now our oldest ever goalscorer, and only a few months off our oldest ever player (Stan Pearson has the record at 40 years 101 days)