Chester FC all but secured their National League status for another season with a late 1-0 success at Bromley.

The Blues snapped a three-game losing streak thanks to Elliott Durrell's strike two minutes from time as they earned a confidence boosting success on the road.

Durrell lashed home on 88 minutes from the edge of the area to bag the points from what was a pretty poor game of football.

Chester boss Jon McCarthy opted to make two changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Macclesfield Town on Tuesday night, bringing in Theo Vassell and Kane Richards at the expense of Blaine Hudson and Danny O'Brien while there was no place in the squad for new signing Liam Davies.

On a bright, sunny and chilly spring afternoon at Hayes Lane there was a strong swirling wind and a bobbly pitch that made things difficult for the sides in the first half, reflected in the lack of any quality in the opening 45 minutes.

Aimless high balls were the order of the day and there was very little to get excited about for either set of supporters.

It took until the 36 minute for the first meaningful effort of the half when Chester's Lucas Dawson rasped a 25-yarder wide after his initial corner was headed clear.

The Blues did have a good chance to take the lead shortly after when Dawson's deep free kick was nodded away as far as Sam Hughes who struck a 12-yard effort that looked to be headed goalbound until Alan Dunne headed the ball away.

Bromley rarely threatened in the first half although Blair Turgott broke free on the right and burst into the area, but his cutback caught Toby Sho-Silva off guard and he stabbed tamely wide when well placed.

McCarthy made a double change at the break and introduced Hudson and Evan Horwood for Dawson and Johnny Hunt.

The second half started in a far brighter fashion and Bromley almost had the lead within a minute of the restart when Sho-Silva beat Hudson in the corner and advanced into the area before firing an effort that squirmed under Alex Lynch in the Chester goal but Durrell managed to hack it off the line and away to safety.

Durrell went close shortly after when he received a short corner and found room to bend an effort just over Ross Flitney's goal.

Richards went close for the Blues just after the hour mark when he managed to race beyond the Ravens backline but, under pressure from Ben Chorley, his hurried effort was tipped round the post by Flitney.

Substitute Horwood fooled some Blues fans into thinking he had handed them the lead on 65 minutes when his left-foot volley which rippled the side netting.

But the Blues were fading as the half wore on and it was the hosts who looked to take charge and substitute George Porter went close with a header from Turgott's free kick.

Lynch was called into action on when he acrobatically tipped a Louis Dennis effort over the bar and he was on hand to keep hold of Sho-Silva's 12-yard effort with nine minutes remaining.

But, against the run of play, Chester took the lead with two minutes remaining when Durrell managed to find room on the edge of the Bromley area before finding the bottom corner of Flitney's goal from 18 yards.

Bromley pressed for a leveller and Lynch had to save from Dennis while James Alabi forced a save out of Flitney from a quick Blues break.

But Chester held on for a vital three points that should see them safe in the National League for another season.

MATCH FILE

Bromley: Flitney, Chorley, Dunne, Holland, Minshull (Dymond 64), Hall (Porter 70), Dennis, Anderson, Higgs, Turgott (McLoughlin 79), Sho-Silva. Subs: Johnson, Goldberg.

Bookings: Minshull, Turgott.

Goals:

Chester: Lynch, Vassell, Astles, Hughes (Joyce 81), Hunt (Hudson 46), Shaw, Lloyd, Durrell, Dawson (Horwood 46), Alabi, Richards. Subs: Roberts, Waters.

Bookings: Dawson, Durrell.

Goals: Durrell 88.

Attendance: 1,237 (152 Chester fans).

Referee: Dean Treleaven.