A COUPLE of last-minute hitches have delayed the transfer of the Chester City striker Daryl Clare to Boston United, but the five-figure transaction will be completed today.

City chief executive Dave Burford said: "Daryl has passed his medical with Boston and the formalities will definitely be finalised on Friday."

Clare, who was City's leading scorer last season, will sign a two-and-a-half year contract with the Lincolnshire club, and he will go straight into the Boston squad to face Mansfield Town tomorrow.

One intriguing clause has been inserted into the transfer contract. It has been stipulated by Chester that the 26-year-old striker can't play against them in a competitive fixture this season. It means that the player won't be turning out in the fixture at Chester between the clubs on April 9, and it will also prevent him from playing if the clubs meet in the end-of-season play-off competition.

City are in action this evening when they travel to the Six-fields Stadium to face Northampton Town, who are two places higher in the League Two table and have a point more. Northampton were one of the pre-season favourites to gain promotion, but they have had an indifferent start to the campaign.

However, City manager Ian Rush said: "This will be a big test for us. They are a good footballing side and extremely good at home.

"We have to concentrate on our own game and compete in all the key areas of the park."

Rush continued:

"With the exception of Michael Branch (ankle injury) we have a full squad to select from. We are short of strikers, but we know what we have to do at Northampton and we will select a side accordingly."

CHESTER (from): Mackenzie, Doyle, Vaughan, McIntyre, Carden, Bolland, Drummond, Ellison, Harris. Davies, Hessey, Hope, Bell, Edmondson, Booth, Whalley, Rapley.

* Tickets for Chester's LDV Vans Trophy game against neighbours Wrexham on Tuesday, November 30 (kick-off 7.45pm) go on general sale today from 10am- 3pm.