The Debrief: Insipid 45, injury losses and McIntyre thoughts as Chester lose at Telford
A look at a bitterly disappointing Boxing Day in Shropshire for the Blues
Christmas, the time of the year where journalists get to use tired quips about gifting presents and too much turkey etc.
You’ll be pleased to know that I won’t be engaging in such nonsense on this Boxing Day evening. Even if I was so inclined, I’m just too deflated to be able to muster the energy, something that was also woefully lacking from the Blues’ first half, as it happens.
The pilgrimage up the A41 was last made on Boxing Day three years ago. It’s always been a game that’s been marked on the calendar as it is both fairly local and provides fans with surroundings that make them feel like it is a game at a decent level.
Chester travel well, always, and a visit to New Bucks Head has been no exception down the years, nor was it today, with the Blues selling out their 800 ticket allocation.
The mood pre-match was pretty optimistic, after all, the second-half collapse against title-chasing South Shields aside, Chester had lost just once in eight games and the things that had ailed them defensively in the earlier part of the season had looked to have been addressed for the most part.
But on a cold, fresh Shropshire afternoon, it took very little time after the game had gotten underway to realise that this didn’t have the feel of a game that Chester would win.
