National League North
Attendance: 2,492 (80 Bedford) Half-time 0-1
Booked: Zanzala, Woodthorpe.

Chester: Murray-Jones, Kelly-Evans (Zanzala 55), Leak, Arthur, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Murray (Weeks 46), Leigh, P.Jones, Peers (F.Roberts 78), Mottley-Henry. Subs not used: Barlow, Shrimpton, Woods, Carson.
Bedford Town: Ashmore, Kpekawa, Taylor, Gyamfi, Marsh, Doherty, Sandiford, Panter (Dawodu 50), Tripp, Lobjoit (Brown 33), Phillips. Subs not used: Coyle, Jeffers, Blackman, Tomlinson, Ajose.
Referee: John Mulligan.

After a heartening first away league win of the season at Alfreton on Tuesday Chester were brought back down to earth by Bedford Town in the first ever meeting between the two sides.

Once again a blustery wind – not as strong as the Merthyr game – made playing conditions difficult. Bedford turned the sides around at kick off and kicked downwind. Chester began the brighter however with both wingers, Mottley-Henry and Jones making inroads. On the right Mottley-Henry performed his tricks to cut inside whilst Jones’ sheer pace caused him to glide behind the Eagles’ defence. An end product was lacking however as the visitors defended with attitude to block shots and crosses. Mottley-Henry did fire a shot through but it was plucked out of the air with ease by Nathan Ashmore, the ‘keeper on loan from Borehamwood.

Bedford were looking to break quickly when they could and were zealous in midfield, pressing for the ball. Gyamfi was particularly tenacious and was lucky not to be booked for bringing Iwan Murray down from behind. The Eagles also employed the long throw to gain access to City’s penalty area. And on nineteen minutes they took the lead following a variation in routine. Their long-thrower duly crossed from right to left to take the throw but dispatched it short to Joshua Phillips who twisted past Leigh and crossed for Doherty to rise highest and head the opening goal.

After a bright start City had been caught off guard and Bedford had a lead to hold on to. The Blues lacked momentum as the Eagles defended from the front and caused the Blues to resort to hopeful balls forward. As half time approached Woodthorpe ran from the half way line and concluded with a rasping shot on goal which Ashmore tipped around the post.

The much knocked about Murray was withdrawn for Weeks at half time. Leak headed Leigh’s corner against the crossbar as City kicked with the wind. Bainbridge was tripped as he broke away shortly afterwards. Mr Mulligan – who’d sent Bainbridge off early on at Chorley this season - now produced his red card swiftly to dismiss culprit Sam Brown. The Eagles were reduced to ten for the remaining forty minutes.

The Blues now dominated possession but found it difficult to create clear chances against determined and well-drilled opposition. When they did, they found Nathan Ashmore in scintillating form. Weeks spotting the keeper offhis line, tried an audacious lofted shot from the halfway line. Hastily retreating, Ashmore managed to touch the ball on to the crossbar and then recovered quickly to thwart Peers on the follow up. Later when the ball broke to Bainbridge in the box, his goal bound shot was turned over the bar by the Bedford ‘keeper.

With quarter of an hour to go Bedford hit the Blues with a sucker punch to double their lead. A free kick from the left was allowed to drop in the six yard box at the far post and leading scorer Tyrone Marsh showed deft footwork to control it and tap it inside the post.

City did manage to pull one goal back but it came too late to affect the result. Weeks’ cross into the box was headed back across his own goal by a defender, Bainbridge looped a header back towards the far post and Zanzala lunged in to make sure it crossed the line. By then many of the crowd had departed. It was Chester’s first home defeat in a year but despite doing well in the Cup against Curzon Ashton and Morecambe, neither have they won at home in the league since August.

National League North
Attendance: 540 Half-time 0-1
Booked: Murray-Jones.

Alfreton Town: Burgoyne, Newall, Leckie, Hunt, Perritt, Salmon, Lund, Cantrill (Anderson 69), Fewster, Dodoo (Ligendza 60), Abbey (Pennant 60). Subs not used: Hewitson, Barrett, Samuels, Derham.
Chester: Murray-Jones, Kelly-Evans, Leak, Arthur, Woodthorpe, Bainbridge, Murray (Shrimpton 88), Leigh (Weeks 63), P.Jones (Zanzala 74), Peers, Mottley-Henry (Woods 90+4). Subs not used: Barlow, J.Jones, Carson.
Referee: Scott Simpson.

Chester picked up their first away win of the season, and their first clean sheet in the league, as a brace from Tom Peers brought a deserved victory at Alfreton Town.

It was a rather uneventful opening half, Alfreton enjoyed the early stages with plenty of possession without troubling George Murray-Jones in the Chester goal. Manager Calum McIntyre gave a debut to midfielder Lewis Leigh and his pinpoint cross found the head of Dylan Mottley-Henry who forced a good save from Harry Burgoyne in the home goal.

As the game entered first half stoppage time Chester were awarded a penalty following a foul on Iwan Murray. Peers stepped up to smash the spot kick straight down the middle to open the scoring.

The second period started similar to the first with the home side seeing plenty of the ball before Chester grew into the game to dominate from then on. Mottley-Henry and Festus Arthur both forced fine saves from, Burgoyne. The Blues sealed the three points with a second goal from Peers 17 minutes from time, a threaded through ball put Peers through on goal, his initial shot was parried by Burgoyne, but the striker slotted the rebound into the empty net .

FA Cup Fourth Round Qualifying
Attendance: 3,033 (1,307 Chester) Half-time 1-0
Booked: Woodthorpe, Leak, Mottley-Henry, Murray.

Morecambe: Blackman, Payne, Kacurri, Francillette, Edwards (Sutton, 68), Cain, Tollitt, Songo’o, Thomas (Dixon-Bonner, 76), Raikhy (Azeez, 56), Nolan (Aarons, 90+1). Subs not used: Mair, Panayiotou, Sesay.
Chester: Murray-Jones, K.Roberts, Leak, Carson, Bainbridge, Woodthorpe, Murray (Shrimpton 75), Weeks, P.Jones, Zanzala (Peers 63), Woods (Mottley-Henry 63). Subs not used: Barlow, Kelly-Evans, Rawlinson, F. Roberts.
Referee: D.Brown.

A stoppage time goal from Fin Shrimpton earned the Blues a replay against National League side Morecambe under the lights at Deva Stadium on Tuesday night.

There was a bright start from Chester, backed by a magnificent vociferous 1,307 supporters, the Blues enjoyed plenty of early possession without forcing any clear cut chances, Iwan Murray seeing a long rage effort blocked at the edge of the area.

The Shrimps slowly grew into the game and took the lead on 21 minutes. Gwion Edwards received the ball on the left flank, cut inside, before firing a shot into the top corner, giving George Murray-Jones no chance in the Chester goal. Edwards was in the thick of the action again moments later looking to play former Blue Ben Tollitt through but there was just to much weight on his through ball. Jack Nolan saw a curling effort go just wide as the home side applied the pressure towards the end of the first half.

Chester came close early in the second period, Nathan Woodthorpe’s cross was inches away from finding Offrande Zanzala at the far post. Nolan, a constant threat for the Shrimps hit the woodwork twice in the second half as the home side were unlucky not to double their lead.

Murray-Evans made a fantastic save to deny substitute Elijah Dixon-Bonner following a swift counter attack ten minutes from time.

With the game deep into stoppage time the Blues equalised. Pat Jones saw an effort spilt by Jamal Blackman in the Shrimps goal, the ball fell to Tom Peers who strike was palmed away straight to Shrimpton who buried his chance to force a replay.

National League North
Attendance: 2,268 Half-time 2-0
Booked: K.Roberts, Woods.

Chester: Murray-Jones, K.Roberts, Leak, Carson, Bainbridge, Woodthorpe, Murray, Weeks, P.Jones (Peers 68), Mottley-Henry, Zanzala (Woods 85). Subs not used: Barlow, Kelly-Evans, Shrimpton, Arthur, F.Roberts.
Merthyr Town: Cogman, Ryan-Phillips, Handley (Bourne 86), Jarvis, John (Lewis 52), Smalley (Cox 52), Rees, Twamley, Evans, Smerdon (Sambu 52), Wlliams (M.Harris 86). Subs not used: A.Harris, Morgan.
Referee: Alexander Beckett.

The two sides had not met competitively for a long time. Merthyr – in a previous incarnation as Tydfil – were the last team to knock Chester out of the Welsh Cup in 1980. Since then both clubs have reformed and worked their way back up the leagues.

Storm Amy, the first of the autumn gales this year had a huge influence on the game. Both side found it to their advantage kicking towards the South Stand End where all the four goals were scored.

Chester raced into an early lead when Zanzala slotted in Weeks’ precise defence-splitting pass. Many of the visiting fans were still arriving as he did so on five minutes. The Blues then dominated the first period without creating many clear cut chances initially. Bainbridge flashed a wind-assisted effort narrowly wide of the post. Zanzala deftly put the ball in the net from a left wing cross but was ruled offside. Woodthorpe then began to make good use of the wind to launch long throws into the box from the left. One crept, agonisingly for Chester, across the six yard box but just behind Zanzala who couldn’t reach it to score. But a second effort to the near post was headed over his own keeper by Merthyr captain Handley.

On the stroke of half time City were handed the opportunity to take a three – nil lead into the interval after Mottley-Henry had been felled by Jarvis in the penalty area. Pat Jones lined up the kick but Cogman guessed correctly and turned it wide of the post.

“How would City cope playing into the wind during the second period?”” we wondered. They began purposefully, pushing the visitors back and came within an inch of scoring again when Zanzala had a shot blocked on the line and then lashed the rebound against the upright from close range but a restrictive angle.

The Martyrs began to find their range with long throws though and were back in the game when Handley thumped home the ball as a long throw was cleared to the edge of the penalty area. City tried to finish the game off. Pat Jones got through again but had his shot blocked. Similarly Weeks and Murray as Merthyr closed ranks and tried to hit Chester on the break. Winger Twamley was proving a danger with his running at the Blues defence and curled a shot narrowly wide across goal.

In the dying minutes, however, Chester struggled to clear their lines down the left allowing Jarvis to muscle in to the by-line from where he hammered a powerful shot into the roof of the net. A struggle ensued as players from both sides tried to retrieve the ball from the net and became caught up in it like a freshly landed catch of salmon. Two from each side were subsequently booked by the referee – taking up most of the allotted stoppage time to do so.

Having been well clear in this game City felt nothing but frustration at only having a point for their troubles but credit must be given to the visitors for their fightback. The Blues, though, will rue most of all the chances missed which would have put them out of sight long before the Martyrs got themselves back in the match.