Hail the happy hardcore!

Here's the latest offering from new Deva Fever blogger, Madowl Blue...

IT'S been an increasingly anxious wait, but Chester City recorded their first points of the season on Saturday - and what a way to earn them!

For the minuscule, yet dedicated home crowd of little more than 1,200 Chester fans, the 5-1 trouncing against Barnet was just reward for witnessing several inadequate displays by the team, not only this season but also throughout most of last season.

I must confess, I was not one of those who made the journey to the Deva Stadium, as one of several who could not face spending £15 and 90 minutes on several frustrating, sometimes fruitless, Saturday afternoons, glaring at the squad and willing that ball to at least make it into the vicinity of the opposition's goalmouth.

So, taking the rather more cushy route of unwinding at home with a can of some alcoholic beverage, I put my feet up and watched all the action unfold on Soccer Saturday instead.

As a result, I nearly fell off my chair several times as I kept scrambling up to the television screen whenever a Chester goal flashed up. At half-time, the usually unflappable Jeff Stelling became slightly flustered as the videprinter stuttered, spluttered and ground to a halt. Rumours that it had crashed because it was unable to comprehend why Chester still had a clean sheet by this time are unfounded.

And with each goal that poured in for Chester (and seeing Jeff increasingly stress each City goal as it appeared on screen), I began to regret not paying my visit to the Deva Stadium. The same had occurred last season, when I'd left it too late to see them play Dagenham & Redbridge at home. Chester then, of course, went on to win 4-0 in my absence.

So, lesson learned and with fresh optimism, I shall be joining the small but defiant band of supporters who've kept the faith during the club's terrible start to the season, for the next home match against Bury. Whether the result was a flash in the pan or the start of sustained success is unknown, but surely the latter is the least the fans deserve.