A stoppage time goal from Dan Ward maintains Chester’s winning start to the season.

City won their first home league game of the season against the same opponents as their last one (Last season) – King’s Lynn. Both squads were much changed from that occasion in April. The visitors had begun with a home draw but were unable to prevent Chester making it two wins out of two.

As Blues’ boss Phil Parkinson had predicted, both sides played out from the back and tried to impose their passing rhythm on the game. City were unchanged from the side that won at Chorley. The Linnets had experienced Kwame Thomas up front with the tricky winger Jesse Nwabu, last week’s goal-scorer, on the left and Michael Clunan, formerly of Scunthorpe, captaining and pulling the strings in midfield.

It was Clunan’s opposite number, Declan Weeks who picked out a superlative pass to Peers on the right. A first touch of equal quality set up City’s number 7 to thrash the ball past the Linnets’ keeper to open his account for the season and Chester’s for the afternoon. Confidence coursed through the Blues as they moved the ball about calmly and then injected pace in the final third. Cambell, Woods and Peers all seemed on their game as Chester dominated possession.

Defensively the pairing of Griffin and Burroughs were unflappable in the centre whilst full backs Woothorpe and Reed not only snuffed out the threats from either wing but also found space to surge forward and get the Blues attacking. Woodthorpe found himself through on goal as Chester sprung a rapid counter attack – but at the end of a lung-busting run the left back could not muster a shot with enough power to beat Hollingshead as he rushed out.

King’s Lynn threatened occasionally without really testing Hewitson in the Chester goal. They seemed capable of scoring while the lead was only 1-0 though and City did well to double their tally as half time approached. Connor Woods ended a fine move by shooting towards the far corner. Hollingshead pushed the ball at full stretch but Peers picked up and protected the loose ball before laying it off to Campbell. His first time shot cannoned off the bar and into the back of the net to send City two goals to the good by the half time interval.

The visitors upped their work rate after the break as they sought a way back into the game but for all their possession they were unable to alter the scoreline. Even when new personnel were introduced City held their own. When the Blues made changes themselves they began to push the visitors back and looked to add a third and finish the game off. They all but managed this as the ball pinged around in the Linnets’ penalty area a couple of times. Billy Waters just failed to make the most of a good opportunity on the end of a rapid breakaway. Hazel came on and shot powerfully at goal drawing a good save out of Hollingshead. Reed capped a fluid move down the right with a deliciously inviting cross which flicked off a defender’s head for a corner. Dan Ward, who became increasingly influential as the game wore on, was denied by Hollingshead a the near post and then – following a one-two with hazel from the corner spot – hit his shot into the side netting. In the final minutes Abreu and Moore were introduced to either wing and both proved menacing to the visitors’ defence.

A third goal would have been the icing on the cake but City fans were at least able to bask in the glory of Chester topping the table for a couple of days before they travel to Darlington on Tuesday.

Around 800 Chester fans made their way to Victory Park on Saturday and they were rewarded with an opening day three points.

With the season onky four minutes old a moment of hesitancy from Declan Weeks saw the midfielder concede a penalty. Up stepped Anjola Popoola but he put his spot kick wide.

The Blues opened the scoring on 26 minutes as Ma'kel Campbell received the ball on the edge of the box and fired a shot first time past Stowell.

Chester should have doubled their lead as Tom Peers was sent through one-on-one five minutes before the break but fired wide.

The Magpies drew level on the hour mark as a sublime finish from Elliot Taylor out on the right gave Luke Hewitson no chance in the Blues goal.

Both sides created chances as the game wore on but it was to be Billy Waters who would secure all three points in the dying minutes tapping home Wards left wing cross to the delight of those travelling fanvs behind the goal.