In a game with two goals given, three goals ruled out and a missed penalty Chester could only manage a 1-1 draw with midtable side Chasetown.

Chester made one change from the team that played Stafford Rangers, last Saturday, with injured 'keeper John Danby being replaced by Adam Judge. After some heavy rain prior to the game the Sun came out and the groundsman had the rollers out prior to the game starting.

The pitch conditions didn't help the game in what was a dull first half, with very few chances. Chester started off trying to play long balls towards front-man Matty McNeil but Chasetown's central defenders were equal to anything that was played up towards him and capitalised on any knock-downs. Chester looked most dangerous when playing the ball down the wings with the pace of Jerome Wright and Stefan Cox.

It was Chasetown who had the first chance of the game in the fifteenth minute, with a corner being swung in and after Christian Smith's header didn't clear the ball Dean Perrow fired a shot back across goal, with nobody able to get on the end of it and turn it in.

Chester started to pass the ball, getting wingers, Wright and Cox on the ball as well as centre midfield maestro, Alex Brown but it was from corners that Chester looked most dangerous. Brown's ball in was met by Antoni Sarcevic but his glancing header saw the ball go wide from six yards out.

There was cause for concern shortly after as captain George Horan was caught in the face by Chasetown 'keeper Ryan Price as he cleared the ball away. Horan stayed down and was substituted straight after for Michael Powell. Horan looked groggy and was bleeding from his nose.

A minute later and Matty McGinn's corner appeared to find Smith but Smith struggled to get a decent connection and the ball rolled out for a throw-in. Both teams continued to try and gain the advantage by at half time it was 0-0.

Chester started the second half brightly and in the forty seventh minute a brilliant cross to find Brown, who saw his acrobatically shot turned round the post by Price. Another two corners followed and the second was turned over again by Price.

Two minutes later and Chester broke the deadlock, Michael Taylor's ball over the top found Sarcevic, who beat a defender before slotting home from just inside the area.

Sarcevic fires home the opener

Chester continued to dominate the second half and a short corner from Brown was played to McGinn, his ball was flicked in by McNeil and Michael Powell's header at the back post was brilliantly saved by Ryan Price, diving away to his right.

Sarcevic was really shining in this half and after another ball out of defence Sarcevic flicked it back to Wright who's shot was saved by the 'keepers feet at the near post.

Michael Powell had the ball in the net but it was disallowed, Brown's superb ball found Sarcevic who rolled it across goal to Powell but the linesman adjudged him to be offside. Chester had another chance to put the game out of Chasetown's reach as substitute Chris Simm, on for Sarcevic, made a run down the right wing, cutting in at the byline and was brought down by Chris Slater. Slater was booked for the infringement. Matty McGinn stepped up to take the penalty but Ryan Price was equal to it, and McGinn's weak effort to the 'keepers right was saved.

In the eighty third minute Chasetown pulled level, a free kick into the Chester area from Mark Branch was flicked past goalkeeper Adam Judge. Judge had come off his line but didn't reach the ball.

Chester had the ball in the back of the net again with three minutes left of regular time. Brown's ball over the top found Wright, who smashed the ball into the bottom corner only for the linesman's flag to again prevent Chester from taking the lead.

Chester continued to press and Simm beat the last man to go one on one with Price but the striker put the ball wide.

Chester narrowly escaped disaster with the last touch of the game, as Chasetown played the ball forward a miscommunication between Liam Brownhill and Adam Judge lead to the prior heading the ball into his own net. Fortunately for Chester the referee gave a free kick for a foul on the defender.

Chasetown: Ryan Price, Scott Lycett, Mark Branch, Chris Slater, Jimmy Turner, Richard Teesdale (C), Mark Hands, Darren Stride, Danny Quinn, Dean Perrow, Greg Downes (Lee Wright 82)

Substitutes: Gary Birch, Jack Farmer, Lee Wright, Jack Cresswell, John Birt

Booked: Slater

Goal: Perrow 83

Chester: Adam Judge, Liam Brownhill, Matty McGinn, George Horan (Michael Powell 34), Michael Taylor, Alex Brown, Jerome Wright, Christian Smith, Matty McNeil, Antoni Sarcevic (Chris Simm 73), Stefan Cox (Robbie Booth 70)

Substitutes not used: Robbie Booth, Iain Howard,Wes Baynes

Booked: Cox, Brownhill

Goal: Sarcevic 49

Man of the Match: Jerome Wright

Referee: Mr Rob Ellis
Assistant Referees: Mr Vernon Turner and Mr Darren Russell

Attendance 679

Match Report by Chris Graham & Match photos courtesy of Chester Events