We’re not safe yet, Davies warns squad

Apr 4 2008 by David Triggs, Chester Chronicle

SIMON Davies has issued a relegation reminder to the Blues as he prepares for tomorrow’s testing trip to Hereford United.

The Chester manager travelled to Field Mill on Tuesday to watch Mansfield Town beat Wrexham 2-1 in the battle of the League Two basement boys.

While the result left the Dragons facing an almost impossible task to beat the drop, it moved the Stags to within six points of the Blues.

With six games of the season remaining, Davies knows City can’t fall into the trap of thinking they’re safe.

He said: “It’s going to be tough for Wrexham now, although points-wise they still can do it.

“But Mansfield are only six point behind us and we’re level on games played.

“A couple of decent results for them and not for us, and it isn’t just a case of playing out the season.”

Chester will need to claw their way closer to the 50-point mark before being able to banish their relegation worries – but Davies has every confidence in his squad.

“To be quite honest, I believe in the squad of players I’ve got right now,” he said. “Apart from Peterborough and MK Dons, who I think are very, very strong, I think anyone can beat anyone in this division. It’s all on the day and how you approach the game.

“On the day, I think we’ll give a good account of ourselves.”

Hereford boss Graham Turner – a former Chester player – took advantage of a free weekend for his team to watch City’s abandoned match against Stockport County at the Deva Stadium on Saturday.

With the wet conditions making quality football impossible and reducing spells of play to farcical levels, Davies isn’t sure how much Turner will have taken from his spying mission.

The Blues boss joked: “I know he’s a very good manager, but if he can read much into that then he’s a better man than me. I don’t think he would have picked up too many pointers.

“The one thing from our point of view is that he wouldn’t have seen how good our wide men are.”

Davies will once again be picking from a depleted squad at Edgar Street.

While Kevin Ellison could return from a knee injury, Tony Dinning is suspended and Chris Holroyd has failed to recover from a foot injury.

Right-back James Vaughan is nursing a hamstring problem and may not be risked, while Tony Grant and long-term casualty Nathan Lowndes are also out.

Chester are holding their AGM at the Deva Stadium next Thursday (April 10). The meeting will take place in the Blues Bar and begins at 7.30pm.