Chester City: Brown, Dobson (A.Shelton 79), Fisher, Richardson, Whelan, Woods, Flitcroft, Priest, Murphy, Rimmer, Thomas. Subs not used: Wright, Giles.
Scarborough: Elliot, Kaye, Sutherland, Snodin, Atkin, G.Bennett, T.Bennett, (Robinson 75), McElhatton, Campbell (Warrall 75), Brodie, Mitchell (Williams 61).
Referee: M.Fletcher (Warley)

A frenetic finish to this match sent Chester fans home on a fairly upbeat note. Stuart Rimmer equalised with just four minutes to go with a glorious headed goal after a crescendo of attacking play. It looked like City would never score. Thomas had been the closest in the first half with a volley from Murphy’s knock down – Elliott tipped the shot over at point blank range. The Scarborough keeper also had to be on his mettle when Thomas was clan through in the second half, racing out to tackle him outside the area.

Rod Thomas, back in the side for Wright, was playing a forward role next to Murphy and was eager to impress against the side he had turned down at the beginning of the season. His third near miss came in the final flurry of attacking play after City had gone behind, his shot hitting the post and rebounding to safety. Scarborough had taken the lead in the 82nd minute. At first it seemed they had scored direct from a corner but it emerged that Flitcroft had inadvertently flicked a header into his own net. The visiting fans – about 800 of them – went delirious. There was still an outside chance of them pinching the last automatic promotion place as Torquay were two goals down at Orient. It seemed a travesty to us as City had been the better team for much of the game.

Cue the waves of relentless City attacks as they tried to restore injured pride. Shelton (Andy) came on for Dobson and his drilled cross eluded everyone until it found Murphy who incredibly shinned the ball over form a yard or so out. But Murphy then did have a hand in the build up to City’s goal, knocking the ball back to Fisher who crossed perfectly to pick out Rimmer and his header looped in. Now it was City’s fans turn to celebrate and you would have thought we had won promotion by the amount of cheering that went on.

Our celebrations could not mask underlying disappointment that, for us, the season had fizzled out weeks before. Scarborough, along with Colchester a fortnight ago, had seemed pretty ordinary – yet both are in the play-offs. Promotion should have been there for us this season.

Mr Guterman took up two pages in the programme to make a statement which neither explained why City’s cash crisis had come about or gave fans any indication that there will not be more of the same next season. We shall see what happens over the summer.

Colin Mansley