NEIL YOUNG is aiming to see Liam Brownhill and Alex Brown firing on all cylinders for Saturday’s FA Trophy second round tie at Ebbsfleet United.
The Chester boss explained why he had decided to sideline both players on Saturday in the Blues’ 4-0 league win at Rushall which earned Chester a three point lead at the head of the Northern Premier League table.
He said: “I made one change at full back for a couple of reasons. Liam (Brownhill) didn’t have the best of games against Nantwich, but we are a little bit short in that position and Wes (Baynes) is suspended now for three games so I left Liam out to give us a bit of protection.
“If Liam had have played and picked up an injury then it may have caused us a few problems going forward in the next few weeks, but we had an opportunity to play Wes so we did.
“And Alex Brown has been struggling with a hamstring problem for the best part of four or five weeks so it was important to give him some rest.
“I’ve wanted to rest Alex for a while because our season was not all about Rushall or this week’s tie at Ebbsfleet, it’s about the next four months.
“We need our best players and our best squad available to us.
“Alex has been having a good conversation with our physio who believed a one week rest was what Alex required otherwise there could be a danger of him pulling his hamstring which would mean him being out for up to eight weeks.”
Young is hoping his in-form side can produce a victory at Conference Premier club Ebbsfleet and progress to the last 16 of the competition.
Chester are expected to include new signing Levi Mackin in their squad who scored an injury time goal after being introduced as a second half substitute on his debut.
Young said: “Levi is a very good player and I’m delighted to have brought him to Chester after trying to sign him during the summer.
“To have a career that he has had and only be 25 years old says a lot about him. Lads who play in the Football League have got something about them.
“Levi hadn’t played for three weeks, but both Gary Jones and Gary Powell were impressed with him in training after seeing his touch and his movement.
“He produced a great finish at Rushall to cap a good win, but Michael Powell and Christian Smith also had good games.
“Lads have got to be given an opportunity and a chance, and if they are then I’m sure they’ll perform.
“There were lots of other players before Jerome Wright who were struggling to perform, but now the likes of Robbie Booth, Michael Powell, Michael Taylor, Chris Simm and others are probably the fans’ first names on the teamsheet.
“Bringing Levi in and being able to bring Matty McGinn back gave me the option to also bring Christian in. But anyone in my dressing room can play in the Chester team. There isn’t much in it between the lot of them.
But they all put a fantastic piece of work in at Rushall and they’ve all worked very hard for the football club.”
- Chester’s league match at Chorley on Saturday, February 4, will kick off at 1pm on police advice.