Chorley 0 Chester 2: Magpies come up second best

Chester got themselves off to the perfect start, Tom Peers slotting the ball home after an initial mistake from Adam Henley in defence let Charlie Caton in to square the ball to the striker to slot home cooly past a helpless Matt Urwin.

The visitors continued their early onslaught and were unfortunate not to grab second goal only minutes later, Caton’s effort after an initial counter-attacking move well saved by Urwin who parried the fiercely-struck ball away well.

Chorley themselves struggled to settle into the game and it took 22 minutes for Andy Preece’s side to register an effort on target, Jack Sampson heading comfortably at Wyll Stanway from Billy Whitehouse’s cross.

Urwin continued to be kept busy in goal and, but for an impressive double save to deny Elliot Whitehouse, Calum McIntyre’s side could have been out of sight pretty quickly.

The Seals were eventually rewarded for their efforts in attack once more before the break, Peers at the double; firing home from 20 yards right into the far-corner past Urwin.

Both sides struggled to create a great deal after the restart, the wind causing real problems to the flow of the game but Stanway was forced to make a diving save to deny Billy Whitehouse and tip the ball over for a corner.

The Magpies came closest to a goal in the 90th minute where Stanway inadvertently put the ball into his own net, only for the whistle to be blown as Sampson was adjudged to have fouled the goalkeeper in going up for the ball.

CHORLEY: Urwin, Henley (Blakeman 68), Ellis, Smith, Wilson, Calveley, Nolan (Shenton 75), Whitehouse, Johnson (Maguire 55), Sampson, Ubaezounu. Subs (not used): Doumbouya, Drench.