CHRIS SIMM admits he wouldn’t swap places with anybody this season.
The Chester striker has played a key role in the club’s impressive run of form in partnership with targetman Matty McNeil who scored in Wednesday’s 3-0 home win against Chorley.
The second-placed Blues have netted 23 goals and kept seven clean sheets to move within one point of Premier Division pacesetters Chorley and Northwich Victoria.
“Chester is a nice place to be at the moment,” said Simm. “I know I’ve always got to put a good shift in because if I don’t somebody else will come in and take my place.
“But at the moment the team is doing well and although I’ve only scored a few goals I’m pleased that the team are getting results.
“We’re all buying into what Neil Young wants and we're all pulling in the same direction.
“It was a great win against Chorley and all the lads were buzzing about the victory.
“To be fair to Chorley they gave us a good game, but we were up for it and all the lads were on it.
“It’s important to make the most of our rest before we can kick-on again for our next game at home to Chasetown on Saturday.
“We’ve played a lot of games already this season so we welcome a bit of a break, but it was important to get three points from the Chorley game on the board.
“Everybody is pulling in the right direction and we’re getting players back to full fitness.
“It’s good to see Jamie Rainford and Michael Wilde coming back, but Matty McNeil and me are playing well and the rest of the team are working really hard.
“Those players who aren’t starting can still play a big part like Wes Baynes showed on Wednesday when he came on as a substitute and scored.”
Meanwhile, Blues boss, Neil Young, praised his team’s recent flawless run of form.
He said: “The accusation before Wednesday’s match from a few people was that we hadn’t beaten anyone in the top five positions in the league table.
“I’ve always told the lads that once we go on a run we’ll take some stopping, especially when we started to get people back and have players fighting for places.
“I’ve always thought we have the ability, but we have to get it mentally right in terms of continuing to churn out results against the lesser lights because the biggest problem in non-league football is to be mentally switched on.
“But we’re now on a run and not only do we think we’re not going to get beat, but they also believe they’re not going to concede a goal.
“To go through seven games without conceding a goal and to score 23 goals at any level of football is absolutely brilliant and my hat goes off to every player in the dressing room.
“All my players worked so hard towards the end of last Wednesday’s match to keep the ball out of the net because in the end it wasn’t about the three goals we had scored, it was all about making sure we didn’t concede a goal.
“I’m trying to ensure every player in the squad maintains an appetite.
“Jamie Rainford came on against Chorley and nearly scored, Wes Baynes came on and scored, and Michael Wilde came on and he’s getting minutes as a substitute as well as getting minutes in games played behind closed doors.
“We played a game against an Airbus XI recently and I thought the lads such as Adam Judge who hasn’t been playing showed a fantastic appetite for the game.
“People are always going to be annoyed because everyone wants to be a part of a big game against Chorley, but I have trimmed my squad right down now and I’m happy with what I’ve got.”
- Chester’s away game at Bradford Park Avenue scheduled to be played on Saturday, October 15 has been postponed due to Bradford’s involvement in the FA Cup.