National League North
Attendance: 1,004 Half-time 1-2
Booked: Carson.

Radcliffe: Hewelt, McFadzean, Smith, Maynard, Glendon (Thornley 73), Hulme (Dudley 64), Afuye, Roscoe (Modi 73), Greenfield, Sargent, Ball. Subs not used: Halstead, Park, Hope, Partington.
Chester: Murray-Jones, Kelly-Evans, Leek, Peers, Bainbridge, Mottley-Henry, Shrimpton, Leigh (Weeks 69), Woods (J.Jones 81), P.Jones (Murray 88), Carson. Subs not used: Davies, Zanzala, Shorrock, F.Roberts.
Referee: I.Griffiths.

Two quick-fire and clinically taken goals at the start of this contest set Chester up for a win in the second of a trio of games on the road. The weekend’s game at Spennymoor was abandoned with the Blues two goals and a man up but this time City were not to be denied three points. Radcliffe have been flying high this season and scoring freely and made life difficult for Chester for much of the evening.

The Boro – in their blue and yellow chevronned kit – kicked down the slope and took the game to City – playing in all black. Chester’s defence was in a novel combination as Shrimpton deputised at right back for the suspended Roberts and Kelly-Evans continued on the left flank. Both were soon having to deal with overloading attacks as Radcliffe spread play rapidly to either wing and crossed into the box. Seven corners were conceded in the first half alone and the home side threatened to score from each of them.

But when City broke up the hill they did so twice to stunning effect. First Maynard under pressure from Mottley-Henry headed to the edge of the area and Pat Jones hit a sweet first time volley low into the far corner to give City the lead. Peers went down under a challenge defending a dangerous corner from Chester’s left. Soon, however, after it was the Boro feeling collectively sore as the Chester number seven picked up Mottley-Henry’s pass and stroked a left footed shot in off the post in the same corner that Jones had found earlier.

Radcliffe responded by moving the ball around briskly and were back in the game after twenty-two minutes. Greenfield fed the ball to Afuye on the right and he cut in to curl a peach of a shot inside Murray-Jones’ far post. It promised to be a high scoring game at this point but despite much effort from the home side to level matters, the score remained the same until half time.

After the interval Chester were again forced on to the back foot as Boro tried to get behind them on either side. They blocked the danger however and were soon further ahead when Connor Woods’ driven effort was deflected into his own net by Rick Smith. Moments later Kelly-Evans had a glorious shooting opportunity from the edge of the area following great work by Jones but his shot clippied the post as it went wide. Next it was Radcliffe’s turn to respond as Afuye’s in-swinging corner from the right eluded everyone before cannoning off the far post and Maynard struck the rebound over.

The game continued to be open with Chester enjoying playing down the slope. Bainbridge and Woods both had shots on target saved by Hewelt. Ball then beat his man to cross low into the box but Leak’s timely intervention thwarted Dudley as he lined up a shot. Weeks came on to replace Leigh and the skipper began to exert his presence on the game. He found Jones now operating on the left flank, with a couple of incisive passes. Jones hit the side-netting with one effort and on another crossed for Mottley-Henry to mis-cue wide.

Still the chances continued to come at either end. Leak and Carson combined to block Dudley’s shot following a left wing cross by Modi. Down the hill Peers had a shot saved and then Mottley-Henry’s header from Weeks’ corner was palmed over by Hewelt. Iwan Murray came on and calmed City nerves by retaining possession and winning free kicks and eventually the All Blacks held on for a very welcome win at the end of a hugely entertaining game.