PREVIEW | Northwich Vixens vs Chester FC Women

    Chester FC Women will be aiming to make it four consecutive league wins on the spin this weekend, as they face an away trip to face Northwich Vixens at Park Stadium.

    The Blues made it three consecutive league wins in a row last weekend following an emphatic 8-1 win against Wythenshawe, a game that saw Chester score seven times in the space of 29 minutes as they raced into a seven nil lead at half time. You could sense over the last few weeks that a performance of this magnitude was only round the corner for Martin Fitzsimons’s side, some of the football played by the Seals particularly in the first half was simply unplayable at times and gave the Wythenshawe defence a torrid afternoon. Last weekend’s win saw Chester tighten their grip on 4th place in the league and move seven points clear of Sunday’s opponents having played five games less. 

    Sunday’s opponents Northwich currently occupy 5th place in the league having won six of their nineteen league games to date this season. The Vixens head into this weekend’s clash with just one win in their last five games that coming in a 2-1 away win at Alder. Chester came out on top in the reverse fixture in late August, running out 4-1 winners in an entertaining game. Northwich will be looking to end the season on a high with a win in their final game of the season and hold to 5th spot in the league. 

    Stat Attack

    • Chester’s Ash Bullock comes into Sunday’s game in fine form after scoring a first half hat-trick last time out. 
    • The Blues won the reverse fixture against Northwich 4-1 earlier this season, the fixture saw 240 fans in attendance at The Deva Stadium  
    • Northwich have a 33.33% win rate at home this season with 3 wins from 9 at the Park Stadium 

    Form Guide (Most Recent First) 

    Northwich Vixens : LDLLW 

    Chester FC Women :WP*WWL 

    Manager Thoughts

    “We said against Wythenshawe, prove a point. And they did. 7-0 up at half time, yet we walked in the changing rooms at half time happy with the score line, but still clear on where we needed to improve.

    “It’s always disappointing to concede when you’re in control of a game so much, but that’s were our concentration comes into the equation and we must start learning that. There were other positives in the game. Our front 3 looked very good, combining well together, all of them getting goals and assists.

    “One of our goals came from our own goal kick which was particularly please. That sums up our style of play, 10 passes, all one touch look to cause problems. A notable mention needs to go to Kerry Morris who stepped up from our development squad and was a threat every second she was on the pitch and provided the assist for Molly Wood.

    “This week we won’t get away with lapses in concentration. We’ll have to be in the game from start to finish and make sure we’re up for the physical battle Northwich bring. If we give them chances, they can take them.

    “But we’re also confident in our own ability and our hard work In recent weeks we’ve had a few players returning from injuries, Emma Gray and Katie Priest are close to full fitness, we just need to make sure we’re being sensible with them. That’s the benefit of having a squad like ours, where regardless of injuries, we can still win games of football”. 

    MATCH PREVIEW BY JORDAN McNICHOLAS