CHESTER City slipped out of the League Two play-off places following a disappointing defensive display against Morecambe at Christie Park yesterday.

City were left rueing a calamitous seven minutes spell midway through the first half when they conceded three goals, all the result of elementary mistakes, which would have embarrassed any self-respecting Sunday League player.

Ironically Chester got off to a dream start, Kevin Ellison cracking home a tremendous 25 yard free kick which beat home keeper Joe Lewis after five minutes.

But the floodgates opened after 18 minutes. Former Chester player Michael Twiss swung a right wing corner to the far post, the City defence stood motionless as Jim Bentley hooked the ball into the net from an acute angle.

Two minutes later a Twiss corner was headed home by Garry Thompson, before more calamitous defending manifested itself after 25 minutes. Yet another Twiss corner was headed goalwards by Bentley, John Danby pushed the ball into the air, and as the City defenders appeared to stand in disarray, Matthew Blinkhorn raced in unchallenged to score.

Carl Baker added a fourth and Bentley notched a fifth goal soon after that.

City did pull two goals back towards the end from Ellison and Chris Holroyd, but it was all a case of too little, too late.

Boss Bobby Williamson said: “It was extremely disappointing. I will look at the video before really expressing my opinions, but there were too many basic mistakes out there.

“We did rally in the second half, and Ellison and Holroyd scored, but we will improve from that sort of display.”