Chester City 1, Stevenage Borough 2: JUST when we thought Chester had started to fulfil their potential at both ends of the pitch, they met their match against a team who could come with a late charge into the promotion frame.
City's 18-match unbeaten run, stretching back to August, came to an end - and they could have no complaints. Stevenage were undaunted by the Conference leaders' defensive reputation, attacked them from start to finish and were rewarded with a victory which will sound a warning throughout the league.
Borough were many people's tip to go up this season and this victory may kick-start their bid to come through the pack with a late challenge for a play-off place.
One win doesn't make a season but Stevenage set a standard their manager Graham Westley will want to maintain. And if they do, the promotion race could soon have a new and dangerous contender.
City didn't play badly, they were simply second best to a side determined to take the game to their opponents, and the result was an entertaining match which was a fine advertisement for the Conference.
City boss Mark Wright accepted defeat graciously and candidly: 'We didn't get out of bed,' he said. 'We didn't impose ourselves and didn't do the things we'd done in recent weeks.
'Stevenage deserved to take something from the game. We lost too many battles.'
There were chances at both ends in the opening half hour with Daryl Clare bringing a fine save from Lionel Perez, who had to dive at Scott Guyett's feet in a later scramble, while Rocky Baptiste hit the bar and Kevin Rapley should have done better with a header from a brilliant Guyett cross.
Stevenage's attacking ambition was a refreshing change after the negative tactics usually imposed by Deva visitors, and it was rewarded when top scorer Anthony Elding headed them ahead from close range from Dino Maamria's cross in the 37th minute.
Ben Davies was unlucky in the 74th minute with a free-kick which hit the post, before Michael Warner cleared the rebound off the line. And to add insult to injury, Stevenage went down the other end and doubled their lead through Baptiste, who had been a threat all afternoon.
Chester's fighting spirit showed late on and substitutes Michael Twiss and Darryn Stamp combined for Twiss to rifle home a low shot in added time, giving the scoreline a more realistic look.
Perez showed his Premiership pedigree as a former Sunderland goal-keeper with a smart save seconds from the end from Stamp as Steven-age held on for a deserved victory.
Chester: Brown, Collins, McIntyre, Smith, Davies, Clare, Bolland, Carey, Ruffer, Guyett (Twiss 66), Rapley (Stamp 66). Subs: Heard, Carden, Foster.
Booked: McIntyre, Bolland, Stevenage: Perez, Bunce, Laker, Wormull, Gould, Baptiste, Holloway, Maamria (Smith 78), Warner, Watson, Elding (Cook 90). Subs: Shamlian, Richards, Brennan.
Referee: C Harwood, Manchester. Attendance: 2,145.
