Anthony Johnson is hesitant to state that he’s content with any performance in a setback game, but that was good for the Chester FC management from the game of Cheshire Senior Cup at home to Stockport County that was played on Tuesday.
The 59th-minute goal of Substitute Millenic Alli’s provided Stockport side with a first-round win of 1-0, Chester arriving nearest to score a goal when Jack Redshaw’s first-half penalty by Jack Redshaw hit the post after the player Jude Oyibo had been fouled.
Johnson and Bernard Morley, joint managers, shared their thoughts after looking at the score 3-5-2 with Oyibo and Darren Stephenson.
Johnson said: “It worked out for us great.
“We went with the exact shape that we performed against Kettering in our previous game, where we went 3-5-2, but, rather than utilizing full-backs as wing-backs, same we served at Kettering,
“So, we went with Jude and Darren out wide, and it gave off with the number of times we got in following Stockport and the frequency of chances we built, mainly during the first half of the game.
“We have performed wingers as battled to full-backs in those positions; it empowers us to get higher up the pitch and affect the game higher up. With that, natural transitions, the opponents can harm you in broad areas. But, the type of game allowed us to take that risk without having any pressure on the game. It worked well.
“We have been seeing at tweaking the formation over the previous some weeks and we now know that we have various types of players that can provide us multiple variations of that shape.”
The managers also utilized the chance to play youngsters
Zack Clarke and Harrison Burke because competition rules permitted them to portray at the parent club despite being at Clitheroe on loan.
Centre half Burke got through ninety minutes while Clarke, the great striker, came on for the last thirty minutes.
Johnson stated: “We begin Harrison next to Danny Livesey in addition Kev (Roberts) at the back.
“He performed great. He did everything that we hoped about him and what he has been executing on loan.
“Then Zack came on and gave us different kinds of peril from now on. So, you can notice the confidence of the two players and significantly they have performed out at Clitheroe.
“To watch them appear into the first-team environment, and showcased the game the way they did, provides us a genuine shot in the arm. We know that, yes, we can make new signings if required be, but also we have our own players out on loan, younger teammates who are executing exactly for what we sent them.”
There was a disappointment as Danny Livesey was taken off with a hamstring pull. Therefore, he joins hands with Jamie Morgan, who is suffering from ankle pain. Paddy Lacey, who has a knee problem, was among the performers at rest for the Stockport game, but hopefully, he will play for National League North game at York that is going to conduct on Saturday.
Although, for the York game Kevin Roberts is suspended due to his couple of yellow cards in the goalless draw at Kettering in the last league match of Chester.
