Chester 0, Chorley 0: Magpies battle to draw at promotion rivals Chester

On a sun-drenched Good Friday afternoon the Magpies, spurred on by the injustice of the previous Saturday’s controversial defeat to King’s Lynn, made the early running in a game that seriously lacked goalmouth action.

Billy Whitehouse’s fifth minute effort, repelled smartly by Everton loanee goalie Harry Tyrer, was the only real chance created across the entire 90 minutes.

Assured of a top seven finish by the end of play, Chester failed to test Matt Urwin in the away goal, with skipper Declan Weeks wasting a long-range opening just before the break.

Urwin’s 20th clean sheet of the season came closest to being wiped out in injury time at the end of the second half when sub Anthony Dudley created a yard of space in the box. Thankfully for the Magpies, Scott Wilson was alert to block the shot.

Manager Andy Preece was delighted with the point afterwards and labelled Easter Monday’s home clash against seventh-placed Scarborough Athletic as a “pivotal game in our season.”

Just four points now separate Brackley Town in fourth and Chorley in ninth heading into Monday, as the battle for the top seven boils down to a four-game sprint.

Chester Tyrer; Weeks (c), Kenyon, Willoughby, Thomas (Dudley, 60′), Williams, Coates, Earl (Roberts, 46′), Heywood, Caton, Whitehouse. Subs not used: N’Mai, Murray, Edwards.

Chorley Urwin; Henley, Wilson, Leather (c), Nolan (Tomlinson, 73′), Whitehouse (Shenton, 73′), Calveley, Sampson, Ustabaşı, Finney, Rus. Subs not used: Blakeman, Johnson, Scarborough.

Attendance | 3,487