| Wrexham look to end a run of four games without a
win with a trip to local rivals Chester who are looking for a new
manager after parting company with Bobby Williamson last weekend.
Although we have only lost once in eight games, a lack of
three points in recent weeks has left us six points adrift of safety
but there is a good chance that this gap could widen by 5pm Saturday with
our game coming 24 hours later than all our rivals.
This game is complete contrast for Chester compared to
the original game, as they arrived at the Racecourse in sixth position
but now find themselves just just ten points clear of the
relegation zone after an alarming slump of form.
The 2-2 draw at the Racecourse was Brian Little's
first game in charge of Wrexham, but a return of one win from their last
fourteen league games cost Williamson his job at Chester.
His final game was the 1-0 defeat at league
leaders MK Dons last Saturday but Williamson certainly paid the penalty in that game
with the Dons scoring just eight minutes after Paul Butler had missed
from the spot.
Williamson only replaced Mark Wright as manager for the
start of the new season and Simon Davies took temporary charge for the
defeat at Darlington in midweek
Davies holds the position of Head of Youth at the club
and is also in charge for this game after the club failed to appoint a
permanent successor for Williamson.
Chester's only recent win was a 3-1 victory at
Mansfield two weeks ago with their last win on home soil coming against
Bury on the weekend before Christmas.
It is no surprise that they are bottom of the form
table but our performances away from home have not been the best with
our last win on our travels also coming against Bury at the beginning of
December.
Top scorer for Chester is Kevin Ellison with ten goals
in the league so far this season.
Ellison arrived for his second spell with Chester and
arrived from Tranmere in the summer and was a target for Brian Little
towards the end of the January transfer window.
The club's could not agree a fee for the former Hull
midfielder who was on the verge of joining Stockport on loan last month
but the player raised objections to the move.
Recent Encounters:
The first match at the Racecourse ended 2-2 with
Wrexham coming back on two occasions with Michael Proctor grabbing a
brace in Brian Little's first game in charge.
When the two sides met at the Deva last season, we ran
out 2-1 winners courtesy of goals in either half from Neil Roberts and
Mark Jones.
Chester were reduced to ten men by the time Roberts
opened the scoring and we also had Steve Evans sent off late on as
Chester grabbed a consolation goal back.
Our overall record in league derbies sees us ahead with
twenty-nine wins to Chester's twenty-six and there have been twenty draws in the
seventy-five
leagues games between the sides.
Team News:
Wrexham hope that midfielder Danny Sonner will recover
from his Achilles injury after missing the last two games but both Steve
Evans and Neil Roberts are extremely doubtful with knee and ankle
injuries respectively.
Stuart Nicholson is the only other doubt for Wrexham
after the striker picked up a groin injury during training.
Chester City will be without defender Simon Marples
for the visit of rivals Wrexham after he was placed on garden leave by
caretaker boss Simon Davies.
Nathan Lowndes is also out and the City striker will undergo an
independent medical examination to determine the severity of his back
injury.
Elsewhere in League Two:
Macclesfield are the team six points ahead of us in
the table and they travel to Brentford who lost 4-1 at home to fellow
rivals Bury in midweek.
This victory allowed the Shakers to open a ten point
gap on us and they entertain a Morecambe side that are six points adrift
of a play off spot.
Notts County are positioned in between Macclesfield
and Bury, and the Magpies entertain a Barnet side who are only four
points ahead of them in the table whilst second bottom Mansfield are at
home to Rochdale. |
