Chester FC: Captain George Horan not panicking after Blues lose outright lead at top

Jan 26 2012 by Paul Wheelock, Chester Chronicle

CAPTAIN George Horan is confident Chester FC can bounce back from the disappointment of losing to their closest title rivals.

Hednesford Town’s 2-1 victory at the Exacta Stadium on Saturday moved them level on points at the summit – but Horan believes the table-topping Blues will soon be back in their championship-chasing stride.

The skipper said: “We’ve just got to get back on a run and kick on until the end of the season.

“Our performance wasn’t great although I still felt we deserved something out of the game given the chances we had and given they didn’t really have many more than the two they stuck away.

“It was disappointing but people shouldn’t make a mountain out of a molehill – one defeat is not the end of the world.

“We’ve done well this season and I think we’d all have taken the position we’re in – top with two games in hand on Hednesford – at this stage.”

Although a return of five points from a possible 12 since Boxing Day represents Chester’s poorest run of the season, none of the other teams at the top have done well enough to take advantage.

Northwich Victoria (six from 12) and Chorley (nine from 15) have also dropped points in the same time while second-placed Hednesford (eight from 18) – so buoyant after ending the Blues’ 27-game unbeaten home run – missed their big chance of going top when they lost 1-0 at Marine on Tuesday.

Horan is not worried about other sides and their blips.

He is single-minded about getting his hometown club back on track – and to do that the big defender insists they must cut out the errors that have crept into their game.

Chester-born Horan said: “We do need to tighten up. Getting clean sheets has been our platform to build on as it allows us to take the game to teams up the other end.”

Horan is ready to lead the Blues in Saturday’s home clash against lowly Mickleover Sports (3pm) after a niggling knee injury showed signs of improvement.

The centre-back, who is due to have a scan on the problem, said: “I had an operation before I came to Chester and instead of taking the cartilage out of the knee, pins were put in. I thought I’d displaced one of them as I was in pain. But I’ve been given loads of stretches to do by the physio and it seems to be working as I’ve felt fine since the Hednesford game.

“If there is a problem, they’ll give me more stretches to do and leave it until the summer.”

Liam Brownhill (hamstring) will return on Saturday while Jerome Wright (ankle) also has a chance of being fit.

Levi Mackin (broken collarbone) and the suspended Michael Powell and Wes Baynes miss out.