Goals from Akwasi Asante and James Jones bring three welcome points for the Blues.


Picture © Rick Matthews

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For the first time this season Chester suffered back to back defeat’s as they lost 4-2 at promotion rivals York City, the Minstermen completing the double over the Blues in the process.

Following the midweek defeat at Gateshead managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson made several changes to the starting X1 with Gary Roberts, Kevin Roberts, Anthony Dudley and Gary Stopforth starting on the bench. Taking their place were Jamie Morgan, Scott Burton, Elton Ngwatala and George Glendon.

Nearly 700 Blues fans made their last trip to Bootham Crescent, the hosts move to a new ground shortly. It was the home side who started on the front foot with two efforts in the opening minutes that saw Willoughby clear the bar on both occasions.

The home pressure told though and York opened the scoring on nine minutes with former Blue Sean Newton heading home from close range following a corner. Within six minutes Chester had drawn level, Ngwatala won a loose ball and fed it to Akwasi Asante, the Blues striker in turn set up Jamie Morgan who shot low and hard past Peter Jameson in the York goal.

The home side restored their lead midway through the half as the Blues defence again failed to clear a corner allowing Kieran Green to head past Russell Griffiths.

Chances for Chester were few and far between with Danny Livesey wasting the best one heading wide from a Glendon corner ten minutes before the break. Five minutes from half-time York added a third as Willoughby met a Green cross to score past Griffiths from close range.

Chester pulled a goal back on 54 minutes as Glendon met Joel Taylor’s cross but before the Blues could attempt to push for an equaliser York re-established their two-goal lead as Newton went on a mazy run before shooting at goal. Griffiths partially cleared his effort but the ball fell to Newton who crossed for Willoughby to head home.

Jamie Morgan was given a second yellow card and hence his second red card of the season as Chester finished the last 20 minutes with ten men.

With Boston United picking up three points Chester dropped to fourth place. Next up is a must win home game against struggling Blyth Spartans on Saturday.

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