Chester FC V Barrow MATCH THREAD

What a game! Controlled the first half easily, bar the 2 mins added on where Astles and McCombe looked like they’d forgotten they were defenders. Second half was much more even athlough Barrow only had 2 shots on target all game. We created plenty but as soon as Zanzala was denied from 5 yards I thought that was it. Then Dawson rams that one home! Hopefully this galvanises the lot of them and we can kick on, albeit this was probably said before the Maidenhead game in fairness.

Archer looked really impressive for a young lad whose just been lobbed into the team. Didn’t see the goal to well but he was a nuisance and looked after the ball well. Gough was strong in the tackle but looked awkward with the ball, looking forward to him flying through a goat.

MOTM for me would’ve been Archer or Astles.

Cracking game of football and the 'new' lads made the difference.
Great game from Archer. The big targetman we have been crying out for, since we have been, in this league.
Also, excellent performances from both full backs, which galvanised the team.
Played really well, in the first half, but we know that the two centre backs are susceptible to pace and felt a bit sorry for Astle's with that misplaced header, for their second goal.
Didn't dominant, the game as much, in the second half, but Zanzola was really unlucky with his run and shot. Personally, I would play him and Archer, as a front 2.
And what an end to the game, with a 90th minute winner from Dawson.
Out of the bottom 4 and if we play, with that pace and power, it gives me a lot more hope that we can escape relegation.

Terrific stuff!!!

This is why you pays your money and turn up to watch the game rather than stay at home and pass comment.

The noise for the winning goal was immense as were the celebrations from the fans, players and even MB.

MB looks like he's really beginning to make his mark on the team - the new guys were like a breath of fresh air. OK, it's still only one win and we need to develop a level of consistency to escape the bottom of the league but it augurs well.

Is it me or are there developing similarities with the Keith Curle teams, a bit swashbuckling, likely to concede but capable of getting goals through sheer guts, pressure and almost weight of numbers?
If so we could be in for a helluva ride but it will certainly be entertaining

I decided to leave after the goalmouth scramble in injury time thinking that was it. Was made up when I heard the cheer getting in my car but gutted I missed it.

Was a mad first half. Barrow hardly got near our goal and were awful, yet we gift them two quick fire goals. Defensively we just aren't good enough and it won't be the last time we get done for pace by balls over the top this season. Liked the look of Archer who battled well and gave their defenders a good game, and his goal was the sign of a confident striker. The workrate was there, and it just goes to show they can do it which makes it all the more frustrating when we amble about like we did on Saturday.

The second half could have swung either way, and there ever a few nervy moments when they got forward but for once I actually felt we had the legs to finish the game and have a go ourselves. Zanzala had been crap but if he'd scored that goal in injury time then what a goal that would have been. The there was a big scramble and you think that it's just not our night, hence why I left!

Full credit to Bignot for going for it and making attacking changes, he knew that a point would have been a missed opportunity tonight. Not sure how Kimgsley got MOTM, I'd have maybe gone for Hall Johnson or Dawson. Dawson gets a lot of shit on here but for 70 mins he ran the game for us....never afraid to take the ball deep and start something off. And I think he reigned in the Gerard passes tonight, he just used it smartly and also got in some good positions when we got forward. He also gets through a lot of dirty work which goes unnoticed - of course he will give it away but for me he is our only players who has genuine class on the ball.

Huge 3 points and it lifts the gloom. Bignots signings are making a difference and it gives us a lift going into some tricky games.

No transfer window for the conference does that stop getting players from the Football League? We’ve just signed a couple. No idea where the money has come from 😳

An entertaining open game which we thoroughly deserved to win. With a bit more luck we could have had 5 or 6 but we always look vulnerable in the centre of defence when forwards run at us. I think Dawson answered his critics tonight and the full back loaned from Grimsby put in another excellent performance.

What a difference from all those insipid performances we have had to witness the rest of this year and so frustrating that the Board persevered with McCarthy. A case of where we could have been. 

First goal was Hall-Johnson getting done over the top, second goal was Astles mis-kicking?

Meant Hall-Johnson partly to blame for the first goal, along with McCombe. Maybe I was wrong with McCombe for the second goal and it was Astles.

Fantastic scenes when that ball hit the back of the net. This team are not going down they looked fitter tonight had a shape for once and played like a team at last. There were no shirkers on that pitch everybody put in a shift thought Hall Turner was absolute quality and Shaw covered every blade of grass along with Turnbull who had his best game in a Chester shirt. Agree with the poster regarding Dawson gets a lot of unwarranted stick on here delighted he got the winner..

Ah so that's Dawson? Not seen him play like that before. I did mention his assist and beautiful winner. Please see above.

I'm still struggling to believe that goal went in. After the zanzala chance and the scrambles on the line I thought that was it.

Some good solid performances across the team today, good to see the workrate has been increased. Can't argue that MB isn't improving us, the new signings have all contributed

Looking forward to hearing the positive comments from my favourite comedy character whopper 3

This really is good reading on here tonight after all the doom and gloom I am really looking forward to Saturday and my first chance to see the blues this season hope as many as possible of you can make the long trip down here

Bloomin’ unbelievable! What a great, entertaining game of football which we have been itching to see for a while. Superb performance which was a shadow of our previous 2 matches. It was good to get 2 important goals early so we could be a bit relaxed and settled, however in typical Chester fashion Barrow scored twice just before the interval 🙄. Ryan Astles should be responsible for the second goal tbh.
As the game went on we created some good chances and really got the crowd going. The players responded and gave it their all, but I was a bit anxious and thought that we were going to draw. Well well well, what happened after was unbelievable. We didn’t give up, then Lucas Dawson popped up on the edge of the D and struck a marvellous winner. I must admit, I did get a bit overexcited at the end and decided to go right by the players’ celebrations but what a win! It reminds me of the FC Halifax game a few years ago on TV.
What made me impressed the most was the manner of the game. We looked full of energy, wanted a response and put in 100% effort mostly. Our 2 new signings looked good. Archer has already got off the mark with a good goal whilst Gough got stuck in most of the time. Our midfield looked much more up for it tonight and had more energy as well.
This can be a very important win for us. Hopefully it is the turning point and can be a benchmark for the rest of the season. Now we are out of the drop zone, let’s not fall back in! Our players should now have the confidence restored into them and kick on.
What a win, topped off with a Wrexham defeat. Come On You Blues!

Also agree that I'd be very keen to see Zanzala and Archer up front together. Those 2 have everything you want to cause problems at this level.