Chelmsford Sport
Chelmsford City v Weston-super-Mare preview
9:50am Friday 3rd February 2012
CHELMSFORD City’s preparations for the home meeting with “surprise package” Weston-super-Mare have been given a boost confirmation of the signing of local goalscorer Chris Bryan, who joins the Clarets on hot form from Ryman League Premier Division neighbours Heybridge Swifts.
Bryan, a 28-year-old forward, has been prolific over the festive period for Swifts, netting all four of their goals as they defeated title contenders Needham Market in December. Now the former Halstead Town man wants to carry that strike rate into his time with Glenn Pennyfather’s team in the Blue Square South.
“It’s been no secret that we’ve been looking to build on our striking options and I believe Chris will be a quality addition,” claimed the Chelmsford Manager. “He was very well thought of at Heybridge and he’s a very likeable character. We’re looking forward to seeing how he can complement our existing strike force.”
Weston, meanwhile, are in sixth position in the table and just two points behind Sutton United as they look to break into an established top five. Their form on the road has been patchy but they previously restricted Dartford to a draw away from home and last season their resolute defending at Melbourne was only broken buy an injury time Takumi Ake strike as Chelmsford won with the only goal of the game.
Pennyfather explained: “They’ve done fantastically well so far and that comes as no surprise because when we went down there they were a good side who like to try and play football. We’ve seen them play, in what were terrible conditions due to the wind, and they’re the surprise package of the league in many ways. They’re knocking on the door of the play-offs, which is a great achievement.”
Of that top five, Dartford have recently launched the most meaningful threat on Woking’s healthy lead, Glenn adding: “They’ve shown the consistency which the teams around them, ourselves included, haven’t done. They’ve been winning while others have been winning, losing and drawing. Results have been up in the air recently and it’s fair to say they’ve stolen a march on the teams below them.”
Young central midfielder Sam Corcoran is back in contention for a place in the starting line-up having now served all of his three-match suspension. Meanwhile, Adam Tann should offer a lift to the Clarets defence when he’s named fit after recovering from the injury that kept him out of the Welling United game.
Glenn continued: “It’s good news that we have Sammy back and also that Tanny is available, providing his injury shows no sign of a return after training. They’re both the sort of massive players we need to win games and our defence, after the criticism they’ve received recently, are going all out to keep a clean sheet.”