PROLIFIC marksman Michael Wilde has been keen to praise the players who provide him with all the ammunition.

The Chester striker has impressed fans with his clinical finishing during the Blues’ pre-season games, which have featured double strikes against Heswall and Tranmere Rovers.

Wilde said: “One of the most noticable things about pre-season so far has been the number of players who have been playing a big part in producing goalscoring chances.

“If Chester are going to get out of this division we have got to score plenty of goals as well as possess a solid defensive unit.

“It goes without saying that we have to score goals to accumulate points and I feel we have already shown how well we are playing together and we are certainly starting to fire on all cylinders.

“Ollie Ryan, Rob Hopley and Adriano Rigoglioso have all looked a threat in our forward line, but they have been supported by Chris Williams from the left, Mark Peers down the right, and midfielder Greg Stones.

“We have adapted with different formations throughout the team and I think a lot of people have been surprised about how quickly we have been progressing.”

Blues boss Neil Young is expected to name Wilde in his side to face Nantwich Town on Saturday at the Deva Stadium, (3pm kick-off), after being rested in Chester’s 2-0 victory at Ashville on Monday.

Wilde said: “I fully understand why the gaffer has rested me in our most recent pre-season friendlies because he wants to look at a couple of things ahead of our first league matches.

“I was obviously disappointed that I wasn’t involved in Monday’s match at Ashville, but it is important that the gaffer gets the chance to experiment with different systems.

“I’m aware that the gaffer is wanting to bring in a new striker to strengthen our options and that should be beneficial for us ahead of the new season.

“I think he must do whatever it takes to get new bodies in and boost our hopes of scoring more goals because a key factor to being successful in our division is having the firepower and creating the opportunities to score goals.”

Wilde, who scored 89 goals in 135 appearances during his spell at Welsh Premier League club The New Saints, is remaining tight-lipped about his goalscoring target for the new campaign.

He added: “I’m not going to put a number on a target for the season. I’m more interested to see Chester performing and progressing as a team.

“I’ll keep my individual goals under wraps because I don’t want to put myself under any pressure.

“I just hope I can continue to remain injury free so that I can play a part in Chester’s forward line.”