Birkenhead Park 7 Chester 50
CHESTER will go into their big ‘Red Shirt Saturday’ clash against Waterloo under the lights at Hare Lane with praise ringing in their ears.
Having been disappointed with his side’s performance in the previous week’s loss to Lymm, head coach Nic Corrigan could not have been more pleased with the way they bounced back to dish out a derby drubbing to Birkenhead Park.
The bumper victory maintained Chester’s nine-point lead at the top of National League Three North and acted as perfect preparation for this Saturday’s visit of Waterloo.
The floodlit match will kick-off at the later time of 5pm as part of the club’s ‘Red Shirt Saturday’ celebrations.
Players from Chester’s mini and junior sections who arrive at the gate wearing their club red jerseys will get in for free along with one parent or guardian.
Chester boss Corrigan said: “We trained hard on the Tuesday night before the Birkenhead Park game.
“That wasn’t a panic response to the disappointing performance against Lymm, it was more that we had to show we weren’t prepared to accept the performance we had put it.
“We then had to put a marker down in the ground – to our members and to the wider league – when we got out there on Saturday.
“I’ve never seen us defend with such intensity and such passion and while there were elements of the performance which weren’t great and which will need to be brushed up on, it was all about the commitment.
“Having played against Chester once in my career and having been with the club for a year, I’ve never seen a Chester pack push another pack off the ball twice.
“That led to our final try through Sean Green, who’s not available against Waterloo because his ribs were so bruised after the game.
“Sean was outstanding and he would be the first to admit his tries were the outcome of work the pack did.
“We had to look at ourselves and players like Tom Gregory were hungry and wanted to prove a point.”
Huw Grundy, Lloyd Hayes, Green (2), Tom Foden, James Whitelock-Wainwright and Tom Evans shared the tries for Chester.
Corrigan added: “We’ve just got to keep doing what we’re doing.
“In a way I’m glad Lymm happened as it gave us an opportunity to think of what we could lose.”
