by Jeff King
Sounds simple doesn't it? Win on Saturday in the final league game of the 2021/22 season and Chester-le-Street United will be crowned Wearside League Division 1 Champions. Then it'll be automatic promotion to The Northern League Division 2.
Even a draw might be good enough. As long as Darlington Town don't beat Annfield Plain by eleven or more goals. Hmmm what was United's last score line and who was it against?!?!
No, it has to be a win and nothing else. Who stands in their way? Wolviston that's who and it could hardly be tougher against a side that have been in sensational form in recent times.
In April they played ten games winning eight of them, including a win at Gateshead Leam Rangers and only lost two, both against the top two. Against Chester at The Riverside they stunned United with a late two-goal salvo that looked like giving them a 2 - 2 draw.
Then came that 94th minute penalty from United's Cameron Brewis and their first defeat in the league since September! Chester knew Wolvo would give Darlington Town a game. They did but ultimately fell 4 - 2 at home.
That late great run has seen them rise to 5th in the league. A position they can't improve or lose whatever Saturday's result is. They've won 19, drawn 5 and lost 9 of their league games so far. The vast majority of those losses coming early in the season.
They are an open side and have scored 92 goals and conceded 64. Their main hit-men are the mercurial Mikey McGee who has 36 goals in all competitions, 22 of them in the league.
Jake Stott has 26, 20 in the league. Nathan Bayes has 21 with 16 of those coming in the league and keep an eye out for Joel Callender who has scored 7 in the last 5 games as well as picking up 2 MotM awards.
There is no doubt that playing against Wolvo away at Metcalfe Park is going to be a very difficult test for United and could hardly be tougher. But let's hope in the words of Billy Ocean, 'when the going gets tough, the tough get going.'