"Bucks aiming to keep unbeaten run going on Boxing Day"

Match Date : December 26th, 2025 3:00 pm
Competition : National League North
Ground : New Bucks Head
Kick Off : 15:00

The festive fixture list gets into full swing on Friday as the Bucks welcome Chester to the SEAH Stadium for a tasty looking Boxing Day clash.

Reformed in 2010, the Blues have spent the majority of their time as Chester FC at Step 2, with the club currently in its eighth straight year in the National League North. The Blues have come close to promotion on a number of occasions in that time though, none more so than last season when they lost 2-1 in the playoff final to Scunthorpe United after extra time.

Former Chester academy chief Calum McIntyre has been the man at the Blues’ helm since May 2022, leading them to finishes of 3rd, 10th and 4th in his three years in charge. Expected to challenge at the top end of the table again this season, Chester made a slow start to the campaign picking up 11 points from their opening 10 games. That left the Blues unexpectedly being mixed up in the relegation places and led to extensive talks between the board and McIntyre at the end of October. But the board backed their man, and Chester have been notably more consistent since.

While defeat to leaders South Shields last Saturday ended the Blues seven-match unbeaten run in the league, McIntyre’s side have jumped up the table and now sit in 13th on 30 points, only three points of the playoff places. And Chester might well have been even closer to the top seven had their game at Spennymoor not been abandoned due to bad weather after an hour – the Blues were 2-0 up at the time with the Moors down to ten men.

Chester lost star centre back Harrison Burke to Walsall in the summer, while captain George Glendon left for Radcliffe. Declan Weeks now skippers the sides, while Wolves loanee Hayden Carson has impressed at the back. Up front, striker Connor Woods and wingers Pat Jones and Dylan Mottley-Henry have all each hit five league goals.

The Blues have won eight of the 15 games between the sides, with the Bucks winning only once – a 3-1 at the New Bucks Head in August 2018. The last three matches between the teams have all ended in draws, with the last meeting in Shropshire being a goalless draw on Boxing Day in 2022.

Kevin Wilkin’s men are in fine form heading into Friday’s game, with the Bucks unbeaten in six in the league and eight in all competitions. The Bucks are 3rd in the form table over the last six games, in fact, which has lifted Wilkin’s men up to 14th in the table. Telford have been on fire in front of goal too, scoring two or more goals in each of the last six games, with Matty Stenson bagging five in six and Adan George hitting three in his last two.

With Chester only one point and one place above the Bucks in the table, Wilkin’s men could end Boxing Day as high as 9th if they can find another three points on Friday against the Blues.

MATCHDAY INFORMATION

This will be an all-ticket game, with full segregation in place, and with no walk-up ticket sales on the day of the fixture. If you attend without a ticket, you should not expect to gain entrance.

Tickets are available online in advance:

• ⚪ Home supporter tickets
• 🔵 Away supporter tickets

Please refer to our matchday arrangements for Boxing Day for further details.