National League North
Attendance: 1,743 Half-time 0-1
Booked: Peers, Leigh, K.Roberts.
Sent off: Peers

Chester: Murray-Jones, Weeks, Leak (K.Roberts 87), J.Jones, Peers, Bainbridge, Zanzala (Woods 59), Leigh (Murray 66), P.Jones, Carson, Shorrock (Woodthorpe 54). Subs not used: Barlow, Kelly-Evans, Arthur.
Marine: Barnsley, Brown, Samuels-Smith, Whelan (Newell 45+4, (Wardle 84)), Sinclair-Smith, Gergson, Marsden, Anson, Popoola (Thomas 71), Hunter (Fielding 32), Drysdale. Subs not used: McIntyre, Huby, Tumstall.
Referee: Jonathan Maskrey.

City had to be content with a point in what many described beforehand as a must-win game but how the result came about was quite extraordinary.

Both sides started with high energy. Marine were on the crest of three successive away wins while Chester were eager to get their stumbling League campaign going in earnest. Pat Jones was again the biggest threat from the Blues – his pace and close control driving them forward. Only the finish was lacking as his shot from the edge of the area flashed wide of the post. Leigh’s effort was on target and fumbled by Barnsley in the Marine goal but he was able to retrieve the situation and the ball.

Chester’s back line was changed again in what Calum McIntyre described as a re-set. Loanee Shorrock made his debut on the left whilst Leak moved to right back and James Jones returned to partner Carson in the centre. They coped fairly well with Marine’s preferred attacking option of a ball over the top to an onrushing forward. Marine pressed high and generally prevented Chester playing it through midfield. As a result play became scrappy but there were a couple of alarms for City when Ash Hunter was allowed to turn and shoot towards goal and then went close with a diving header. He was injured in the latter attempt and had to be replaced shortly after.

Play was held up for a bizarre incident when Marine forward Popoola tried to keep the ball in play near the corner flag and managed to kick through the post near the base, snapping it in two. The referee suspended play whilst working out what to do. Colin Woodthorpe marched to the corner and replaced the remaining stump with the upper half of the post but this did not seem to suit the match officials. Eventually a member of the ground staff saved the day by appearing with a full sized replacement post and the game resumed.

In the seven minutes of stoppage time that resulted, Marine won a corner on the right following Bainbridge’s crunching tackle on Whelan which resulted in the Marine player having to be substituted. His replacement Newell then scored from the corner as his header bobbled over the line via a double deflection. As if this wasn’t enough of a setback, there was still time for City to be reduced to ten men when Peers picked up a second yellow card. Referee Jonathan Maskrey adjudged that he had simulated a dive in the penalty area when he appeared to have been tripped. He’d already been booked for a tackle on Sinclair Smith so Peers went in to half time early.

Calum McIntyre made no immediate changes at half time but soon began to introduce substitutes to alter the pattern of play. Woodthorpe replaced Shorrock and soon afterwards Woods and Murray replaced Zanzala and Leigh respectively. City began to play with more fluidity and fresh intensity as they tried to rescue a difficult situation. Gradually the ten-men of Chester began to dominate possession and create momentum as Marine became increasingly nervous of preserving their lead.

Murray ended a run with a rasping shot which Barnsley could only parry at full stretch. Woodthorpe ran in to smash home the rebound but was flagged offside. City were becoming more dominant. Weeks in particular covered every inch of the pitch in his efforts to get the Blues forward. Marine were now employing every trick in the book to slow the game down. Manager Bobby Grant was sent to the stands by the referee for preventing a quick Chester throw by the dug-out. The crowd began to drift away in disappointment as the game went deep into stoppage time. Then Weeks hoisted a long ball from the right into the penalty area and James Jones – who’d lingered up in an attacking role – rose highest to nod the ball into the corner of the net.

The equaliser was no less than Chester deserved. Several of the ten men collapsed in a heap at the sound of the final whistle – so much had they put into rescuing at least a point.

Calum McIntyre reflected afterwards on the mixed feelings – disappointment with the first half performance no doubt affected by a collective lack of confidence but also heartened by the combative reaction in the second half which gleaned a point against the odds.