The Hatters’ fourth pre-season outing saw them defeat National League North hosts Chester in an entertaining encounter to maintain their unbeaten record in this summer’s friendlies.
A strike by Connor Evans in the second minute got the Hatters off to a good start – and although they only held their opening advantage until the eighth, their noses were in front again shortly before the interval, courtesy of an early contender for County goal of 2023/24 by Antoni Sarcevic. Club Captain Paddy Madden added a third after the hour – with his side eventually prevailing by the odd goal in five, following a subsequent Chester penalty.
County took to the field on a dry but somewhat overcast Tuesday evening – with recently-arrived goalkeeper from Nottingham Forest, Jordan Smith, donning the gloves as a Hatter for the first time. Ethan Pye was County’s sole starter on the night to have played in the two teams’ most recent meeting just under two years earlier – in the First Round of what would ultimately be a triumphant Cheshire Senior Cup run for the Hatters – although Ryan Rydel, who was among the 11 introduced after the break, had also featured in the tie at the Deva Stadium during October 2021.
The ‘Seals’, who had won and drawn one each of their two friendlies played to date, included in the home starting line-up popular ex-Hatter Adam Thomas, who had spent five years at Edgeley Park between 2016 and 2021.
The hosts also created the first chance of the evening when, with less than a minute played, Joel Taylor’s cross from the left was volleyed over by skipper Declan Weeks. But in the very next move, at the other end, the Hatters went ahead, as Ibou Touray’s pass on the left found Evans, who chested the ball down and fired home into the bottom-right corner for his second goal in as many pre-season games.
Half a dozen minutes later, Chester drew level – with Weeks picking out Charlie Caton, whose shot from just inside the area was parried by Smith, only to spin over the line.
Caton then used his head to clear the crossbar, after connecting with a Thomas delivery from the right – before Callum Camps and Touray both drilled efforts wide of the Chester goal, and, in between those, Evans stung the hands of home ‘keeper Wyll Stanway with a rasping effort from the edge of the box.
With half-time approaching, both ‘keepers were called into action – as Smith arched backwards to claw away a looping cross by Taylor from the left, and Stanway blocked with his legs to deny Evans.
But the last word of the first half belonged to Sarcevic – and with a wonderful flourish. The former Chester player – already with two friendly goals to his name – latched on to a through-ball from Macauley Southam-Hales, and, in one fluid movement, took a touch with his knee before deftly lobbing Stanway to put the Hatters back in front at the break.
HALF-TIME: Chester 1 (Caton, 8), County 2 (Evans, 2; Sarcevic, 42).
It was a stylish note on which to sign off for Sarcevic, who, together with Smith and Southam-Hales, were rested upon the resumption. The continuing players were still looking to make their mark, and extend County’s lead, though – as Kyle Knoyle, fed by Camps, saw Stanway block his well-struck shot at point-blank range, before the Chester ‘keeper also used his hands and feet to repel a couple of Nick Powell efforts, and tipped an Evans header over the bar.
Cometh the hour, cometh a set of changes involving eight players – and within five minutes, one of the latest replacements had netted a third County goal, as Ollie Crankshaw nodded on for Madden to half-volley past Stanway from 15 yards out.
Five minutes later, a foul by Ryan Croasdale on Iwan Murray saw Referee Maskrey point to the spot, and Weeks duly converted his penalty past County’s Trialist ‘keeper to narrow the deficit.
In the closing 20 minutes, Fraser Horsfall met Rydel’s corner from the right to head narrowly beyond the far post, an outfield Trialist cut in from the left to force a Stanway save in front of the same upright, and, while the scorers were not troubled further, Madden, right at the death, was denied a brace when he saw his header cleared off the line.
FULL-TIME: Chester 2 (Caton, 8; Weeks (penalty), 70), County 3 (Evans, 2; Sarcevic, 42; Madden, 65).
Team for first hour (3-4-3): Smith (Trialist, 46); Knoyle, Byrne (Capt.), Pye; Southam-Hales (Trialist, 46), Camps, Sarcevic (Mee, 46), Touray; Evans, Olaofe, Powell.
Team for final 30 minutes (3-5-2): Trialist; Wright, Horsfall, Trialist; Trialist, Trialist, Croasdale, Mee, Rydel; Madden (Capt.), Crankshaw.
Attendance: 957 (220 away).
Reporter: Gareth Evans.
Photographer: Ben Wright.
