An own goal seven minutes into stoppage time rescued a point for Chester from a 1-1 draw at home with Gateshead. The Heed took the lead eleven minutes into the second half through Robbie Tinkler after Louis Gray had done well to save after Dan Ward’s cross had taken a deflection. The Blues were awarded a penalty on 75 minutes following a foul on George Waring. darren Stephenson stepped up but saw his sot-kick saved by goalkeeper Jacob Chapman, who also saved Stephenson’s effort from the rebound.

Gateshead were reduced to ten men as Luke Williams was shown a red card six minutes from time following a challenge on captain Luke Clark. With the game deep into stoppage time, and a second defeat in a week looming, Declan Weeks crossed from the right into a packed penalty area and Louis Storey, under pressure from Waring, could only head into his own net.

Chester returned to Deva Stadium on Tuesday night and were well beaten 3-0 by Curzon Ashton. Just like Saturday, the Blues started slowly and found themselves a goal down through Adam Thomas on just seven minutes, the same played doubled The Nash advantage on 25 minutes as the visitors outplayed Chester in every department.

The introduction of Josh Askew, Lloyd Marsh-Hughes and Jude Oyibo in the second half brought an improvement. George Waring was unlucky to see a fine overhead kick touched onto the bar by Chris Renshaw in the Curzon goal, and the ’keeper was well placed again to deny Marsh-Hughes from close range shortly after after the forward’s impressive run through on goal. The game was wrapped up in the final minute as former-Blue Craig Hobson intercepted a poor Simon Grand back pass to score.

The Blues are back at the Deva on Saturday when Gateshead are the visitors, kick-off 15.00hrs. Note that the club have announced that the car park at the ground will be restricted to car park pass holders, blue badge holders and reserved spaces only. There will be NO parking available for non-pass holders.


Picture © Rick Matthews

• League table after this match | Match pictures | Watch the goals (YouTube)

Chester’s season got underway with a 2-2 draw at Farsley Celtic on Saturday. Several of the Chester players, and indeed joint manager Anthony Johnson, were returning from a recent bout of Covid-19 which will no doubt have hampered their preparations for the league opener.

It was a sluggish start for the Blues who found themselves a goal down after just five minutes with Tyler Walton netting for the home side, and it got worse as Adam Clayton doubled the lead on 27 minutes. On the stroke of half-time Chester pulled a goal back as George Waring headed home a George Glendon cross.

Chester had more of the game in the second period but had Louis Gray to thank for a fine save to deny Will Hayhurst extending the lead. Moments after that Dan Cowan crossed for Waring to head his second goal and bring Chester level.

A nasty clash of heads involving two home players saw ten minutes of added time and try as they might the Blues were unable convert a number of chances.

Chester are back in action on Tuesday night with the home rearranged game against Curzon Ashton, kick-off 19.45hrs. Curzon opened the new campaign with a home 1-1 draw with Guiseley on Saturday.


Picture © Rick Matthews

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This applies initially to The Gary Talbot (Main East) Stand and the Harry McNally Terrace, it is planed to extend this to the Swettenham Chemists’ Community (West) Stand and the South Stand in the near future.

Chester fought out a goalless draw with a Bolton Wanderers X1 in front of a crowd of 612 at Deva Stadium last night. The nearest the Blues came to breaking the deadlock was an Anthony Dudley effort that came back off the post in the first half.

Chester: Gray, Morgan, Livesey (Roberts 78), Williams, Cowan, Glendon, Weeks, Hardy (Stephenson 63), Johnston (Marsh-Hughes 75), Dudley (Trialist 81), Waring (Oyibo 63). Subs not used: Worsnop, Burke.