CHESTER hope World Cup fever will have subsided this weekend as they face a league and cup double-header.

England's triumph in Australia last Saturday morning was watched and celebrated by a packed Hare Lane clubhouse before the first team had to travel to St Helens to take on West Park in a vital North One match.

But, as the team management feared, it wasn't the best preparation and they were beaten by Park, who leapfrogged Chester into third place,' said manager Rob Foden.

'We were stuck in traffic on Runcorn bridge and in the game we went from bad to worse. We were the worst of two bad teams on the day.'

They have the chance to bounce back tomorrow when they meet bottom club Aspatria, who have won only one match and conceded more than 300 points.

And on Sunday they make the short trip to Eastham to meet South Lancs-Cheshire One strugglers Old Anselmians in the Cheshire Cup which, surprisingly, Chester have never won.

Added Foden: 'We haven't played well in the last three matches. We need to get some spark back in our game. The league is important but it's also supposed to be fun. We have gone off the boil, but there is no need to panic.

'We had a great start to the season which may have lulled us into a false sense of confidence.'

Chester are desperate to get their name on the Cheshire Cup and they should have no problems making progress on Sunday at Old Anselmians (2.15).

'We are taking nothing for granted,' said Foden, 'But we will give some of the younger players a chance and put one or two of the older players on the bench.'

The team to meet Aspatria tomorrow (2.15) is: M Davies, Goulding, A Davies, Sanger, Withers, Hughes, Bellamy, Woods, B Foden, King, Lyle, Parry, Burke, Parsley, T Foden. Replacements: Norcross, Hedges, Ellis.

Sunday's team: M Davies, Norcross, Woods, Sanderson, Tennant, Gurmishuys, Taylor, W Potts, Ellis, T Foden, Aldersey, Lyle, B Foden, Walsh, Parsley. Replacements: Sanger, Beckwith, Goulding, Bellamy, Dykes, Weightman, Lilley...SUPL: