. The victory maintained the unbeaten start to the season and saw the side retain their third place in the table.

Chester were without the services of Gary Roberts who picked up an ankle injury at Kidderminster, and saw fellow midfielder Gary Stopforth hobble off with an injury to the same knee he had an operation on last season.

The Blues are next in action on Saturday with a trip to the north east to face Spennymoor Town, kick-off 15.00hrs.

Chester turned on their best performance of the season with a fine 1-0 at a blistering hot Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday. Aggborough isn’t the happiest of hunting grounds for Chester but Matty Hughes’ first half strike was just enough to claim all three points and move the Blues up to third in the table behind the early pace setters York City and King’s Lynn Town.

Joint manager Bernard Morley said following the victory: “It was a proud moment today, we’ve been managing 10 years and this is our 11th season and days like today, bringing 400-500 it is a proud moment. You are satisfying supporters with the football we are playing.”

“We can’t always play well, sometimes we’ll have to win ugly but we won well today. We are gaining confidence game by game and we starting to believe we can be a little bit better than we think we can. That comes with minutes, that comes with that togetherness that we get on the training pitch.”

Akwasi Asante converted a last minute penalty kick to maintain Chester’s unbeaten start to the season as they salvaged a point at Kettering Town. Chester found themselves a goal down as Gary Roberts diverted Lindon Meikle’s cross into his own net 20 minutes from time. The Poppies had a great chance to double their lead from the penalty spot but saw Daniel Nti’s effort hit the post. The home side were then reduced to ten men after Marcus Kelly received a second yellow card before the added-time drama that saw Matty Hughes upended in the penalty area and Asante send Paul White the wrong way to claim a valuable point at Latimer Park.

Chester recorded their first victory of the season on Saturday, defeating Farsley Celtic 2-1 at home. After a goalless opening half, the Blues broke the deadlock a minute into the second period through Bradley Jackson who fired home from ten yards after good approach play from George Waring.

Waring himself doubled Chester’s lead in the 61st minute converting Jackson’s cross. A foul from Scott Burton on Will Hayhurst ten minutes from time saw Celtic awarded a penalty which Hayhurst himself duly converted to reduce the arrears. Chester weathered a late Farsley threat and should have wrapped the game up in the final minute as substitute Danny Elliott shot over the bar from close range.

“The quality of the football in the second half was poor from both teams but it was a hot day, it took us four hours to get here and the pitch is very long. I thought it was excellent to limit a good side to zero chances. Apart from the own goal they’ve not tested us once.”

“They were good chances. Duds in a one-v-one you back him all day long, Danny Elliott in a one-v-one. Duds had another one which was saved but the one we did score was a superb goal. We looked like we were overloading from the thrown-in, a great ball from Brad and a thumping header from the big man.”


Picture © Rick Matthews

Chester begin their home campaign against Altrincham on Tuesday night, kick-off 19.45hrs. The Robins were beaten at home 3-1 by York City on Saturday.