Match reports from April 2026

Saturday 11 April
Chester 1 AFC Fylde 0
National League North
Attendance: 2,637 Half-time 0-0
Booked: T.Davies, Leigh.
Sent-off: Leigh.

Chester: B.Jones, Woodthorpe, Weeks, T.Davies, Mottley-Henry, Kelly, Shrimpton (Peers 82), Leigh, Carson (Woods 46), S.Burgess (Bainbridge 74), Croker. Subs not used: B.Davies, Leak, Rosenblatt, F.Roberts.
AFC Fylde: Jones, Coates, Mitchell, Merrie, Thomas, Mayor, Lancaster, Whelan, McAleny (Wilson 35), Rodrigues-Gentile (Hunter 80), Lewis. Subs not used: Boyes, Morris, McFayden, Jackson.
Referee: Lewis Dawson.

A couple of teenage lads hailed “Milton!” across a crowded Blues Bar prior to the game. Many of the squad who won promotion from League 2 to 1 in 1986 had assembled for a re-union and these two lads were not going to miss the opportunity for a selfie with arguably one of Chester’s best ever midfielders. A beaming Milton Graham was only too happy to oblige.

As kick off approached the wind became increasingly strong and gusty. It plucked some flags from team of the week FC Mynydd Isa’s guard of honour as they lined the players’ entrance. One of them was carried over the stand and away. Would, we wondered, Chester’s current promotion push take off in similar spectacular fashion?
We had to wait until the final whistle to be able to answer as both sides engaged in an enthralling encounter in the quest for a vital three points. AFC Fylde, six points clear at the top but having played a game more than their pursuers South Shields needed the points to stay ahead. They were without Max Taylor and Tom Whelan who had both been sent off on Good Friday as well as top goal-scorer Danny Ormerod with injury. Chester were unchanged from their last couple of games over the Easter weekend.

The Blues were invited to attack the Harry Mac End in the first half (Insider knowledge from Craig Mahon perhaps?) and they began on the front foot. Fylde looked to play out from the back – Mottley-Henry and Shrimpton chased them down and kept the pressure on. Scott Burgess had the game’s first chance to score as he prodded the ball past an advancing Zac Jones in the Fylde goal but the wide of the post.

The Coasters began to exert control in midfield as they spun and passed with speed. Danny Mayor with bags of EFL experience under his belt stood out with his pace and authority in midfield. Adam Lewis – fresh on loan from Chesterfield and Felipe Rodrigues-Gentile were lively up front. But Chester also threatened again and Shrimpton saw a shot blocked on the six yard line before Scott Burgess headed over.

As Fylde came forward they drew Chester in towards them in the middle of the field but quickly worked the ball out to the flanks where they made inroads. A couple of times dangerous driven crosses eluded a finishing touch. On the second occasion in first half stoppage time Felipe went to ground and appealed for a penalty. The referee booked him for his troubles and sent Craig Mahon to the stand as he too protested the decision.

During the interval Harry McNally’s ‘85-‘86 squad were presented to the crowd and posed for a photo together. Kevin Roberts of more recent vintage was inducted into City’s Hall of Fame. As the current Blues emerged Connor Woods was introduced to the side in place of an injured Haydn Carson. Michael Kelly moved in to fill the latter’s place in defence. The changes nullified the visitors’ threat to some extent but the outcome was still balanced on a knife-edge.

Shrimpton burst through on the left but his shot beat the far post as well as the keeper. For the Coasters, the untiring Mayor went on a mazy run and finishing with a shot on target but Bobby Jones held it comfortably. As the game neared it’s close the home fans raised the volume as they sensed an upset was possible. With four minutes remaining Mottley-Henry held the ball up on the right wing then pulled it back for Weeks. His first time cross seemed to go past Tom Davies until the centre-half flicked his leg like a scorpion and the ball flew into the corner of the net.

In the final minutes Lewis Leigh who’d had an excellent game otherwise, received a second yellow for a tired lunging tackle and was dismissed. Nails were bitten all around the stadium. As the game entered stoppage time Davies went down with a head injury following a goalmouth scramble. A stretcher was summoned but he was eventually declared fit enough to resume. The six minutes of added time stretched even further but Blues held out for a gritty victory.

The result propelled City into the play-off places for the first time – though a couple of sides below them have a game in hand. Whilst for Fylde the defeat may even cost them the title in such a close race for the top spot.

Colin Mansley

Monday 6 April
Macclesfield 0 Chester 2
National League North
Attendance: 4,474 (872 Chester) Half-time 0-1
Booked: F.Roberts, T.Davies

Macclesfield: Ravenhill, Matheson, Dawson, Duffy, Heathcote (Menayese 46), Lacey (Pasiek 46), Gale (Buckley-Ricketts 65), Osborne (Chapman 83), Kay, Edmondson, Borthwick-Jackson (Popoola 46). Subs not used: Fensome, McHugh.
Chester: B.Jones, Woodthorpe, Weeks, T.Davies, Mottley-Henry (Peers 71), Kelly, Shrimpton (Bainbridge 71), Leigh, Carson, S.Burgess (F.Roberts 55), Croker. Subs not used: B.Davies, Leak, Woods, Rosenblatt.
Referee: Joe Moss.

Chester complete the double over Macc with a superb win at Moss Rose.

• League table after Macclesfield victory

Friday 3 April
Chester 2 AFC Telford United 1
National League North
Attendance: 2,935 (582 Telford) Half-time 0-0
Booked: Mottley-Henry, T.Davies.

Chester: B.Jones, Woodthorpe, Weeks, T.Davies, Mottley-Henry, Kelly, Shrimpton, Leigh, Carson (Woods 60), S.Burgess (F.Roberts 77), Croker. Subs not used: B.Davies, Leak, Peers, Bainbridge, Rosenblatt.
AFC Telford United: Gracey, Cranston (George 77), Piggott, Fletcher, Stenson (Lawal 90+1), Meadows, Allen-Hadley, Badres, Leshabela, Walker, Dyer. Subs not used: Pendley, Mitchell, Ikpakwu, Hilton, Armson.
Referee: Lewis. B. Smith.

A highly entertaining clash with fellow play-off hopefuls Telford resulted in a narrow win for the Blues.

All three goals came from corner kicks and Chester players scored all three of them. At half time however the game was goal-less after both sides probed and parried looking for an opening. The visitors threatened on either flank with Cranston on the left and Hadley on the right looking especially dangerous. Top scorer Matty Stenson was back to lead their line after a few matches absence through injury. He put himself about so much to begin with that the referee had to reprimand him after he clashed with a City defender.

Chester were combative in midfield – it was clear that both teams saw a win today as imperative to keep outside promotion hopes alive. Hayden Carson picked up a loose ball and drove forward with some fancy footwork but was caught out of position when the Bucks regained possession and broke forward. Jones had to be alert to save at the feet of Stenson.

Leigh was lively and inventive in the middle and saw a shot deflected wide for a corner. It was from two such in-swingers from Kelly that Dylan Mottley-Henry went closest to giving Chester the lead. Both headed efforts were held by Gracey in the Telford goal.

City applied more pressure on the Bucks defence after the interval and after forcing a corner on the right they took the lead. Woods’ kick found an unmarked Croker who headed forward to find Mottley-Henry. The Blues’ number eleven chested the ball down then lashed it into the roof of the net for a superb finish.

The lead was short-lived however as Telford also forced a corner as they kicked with the swirling wind behind them. The in-swinging delivery from the left was inadvertently glanced in at the far post by an unfortunate Declan Weeks. Blues heads dropped for a little while but they found the resolve to come back looking for a winner. From another right wing corner Croker again found himself free and this time directed his header perfectly just inside the foot of the far post. Another classic finish. Fin Roberts might have added another shortly afterwards when he charged down a clearance and ran at goal. A last ditch block by Piggott prevented him scoring and then as the ball came back to Roberts he rolled the ball right across goal from the narrowest of angles and it bobbled agonisingly past the far post.

The cushion of a third goal would have made the last few minutes and stoppage time more comfortable for the Blues as Telford threw every effort at an equaliser. They were further hampered when Dyer was shown a red card after shoving Woodthorpe to the ground. Hadley ended a mazy run with a shot on target but without the power or accuracy to beat Jones. Then with the last kick of the game Walker fired a free kick over the bar and the referee blew his whistle to close the contest. Another valuable three points accrued as City leapfrogged Telford in the table.

Colin Mansley

• League table after Telford victory

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