Telford United 3, Chester City 0

Mar 28 2001 by Ian Bedford

THE Buck's Head bog made a mess of Chester in more ways than one on Tuesday and although the laundry can bring the colour back to their kit Graham Barrow may find it more difficult to bring the sparkle back to their play.

City's heaviest Conference defeat couldn't have come at a worse time ahead of the FA Trophy test and they may have to face the prospect of another 90 minutes of mudlarks in Essex.

Physically, Chester came through a test of stamina well enough, but the City boss will worry about his defence, especially if Carl Ruffer is absent again through injury.

"We weren't at the races in the first half," he said. "The defence let us down."

It's probably the first time it has, though, and most City fans will give Chester the benefit of the doubt on a pitch which encouraged mistakes.

Both teams tried to make the best of it and in the goalscoring department Telford proved to be more successful. Chris Malkin's glancing header from a Kevin Sandwith corner after 13 minutes started the rot for Chester and only a brave block by Wayne Brown stopped Jez Murphy from adding a second goal moments later.

A 30th minute shin injury to Lee Woodyatt spoiled the youngster's debut, but meant Matt Woods was sent up front to make way for substitute Craig Gaunt in a reshuffle and Woods made all the difference to City's attacking potential. But not before Steve Palmer had fired home the second five minutes from half time following a cross from Gary Fitzpatrick.

Chester were more positive after the break as Scott Ruscoe struck the post from 18 yards, Steve Whitehall flashed a shot across the face of the goal and then saw his header brilliantly saved by Ryan Price from the corner.

United weathered the storm and caught City with a sucker punch on 67 minutes as Murphy showed his strength with a powerful run between Paul Beesley and Martyn Lancaster before slotting past the advancing Brown.

It was a killer blow from which City were never likely to recover, but had they managed to peg a goal back while they were on top after the break it could have made all the difference.

Telford Utd: Price, Jobling, Sandwith, Moore, Bentley, Fowler, McGorry, Fitzpatrick, Murphy (Huckerby 84), Malkin, Palmer. Subs: Preece, Davies, Edwards, Martindale. Booked: Bentley, Fowler.

Chester City: Brown, Moss, Woodyatt (Gaunt 30), Woods, Lancaster, P Beesley, Carden (Haarhoff 65), Fisher, Wright, Whitehall, Ruscoe. Subs: Doughty, Priestley, Berry. Booked: Carden.

Referee: G Salisbury.

Attendance: 1,058.