Ross Hannah has fired a warning shot to the Vanarama National League, insisting it would be dangerous to underestimate Chester FC.

The 29-year-old netted his first goal for the club in the 3-2 defeat of Crewe Alexandra to bring an impressive pre-season campaign to a close.

Hannah became used to challenging at the top end of the division in three seasons with Grimsby Town and sees no reason for that not to continue with the Blues.

"I've been involved in the play-offs for the past three years with Grimsby so I feel like I've gained some experience of getting a team into a play-off situation," said Hannah.

"Don't get me wrong, Grimsby will probably be up there amongst the favourites but we're a big club in this league. We're a Football League club so as much as we might not be the favourites with the bookies, if we play like we did against Crewe teams won't want to come and play us here.

"We want to make sure at home that we do teams what we've done to Crewe.

"We won't come up against the quality like that but at the end of the day we've just got to worry about what we do and if we're good then it doesn't matter what the opposition's going to throw at us.

"It's pre-season so let's not get too carried away as there's a lot of changes going on in games, but the past two games I think we've been very good.

"And credit to the lads that have come on. It's not easy to come on in a game whether it's half-time or 60 or 70 minutes. Right from the Hednesford game, the lads who've come on have been brilliant and they've done themselves no harm at all.

"We've got a game-plan that we want to play this season. Sometimes it's not going to work so we have to have a Plan B, which the gaffer and Macca have been drilling into us right from coming back.

"Obviously we got our fitness first and then it's been about how we're going into the season which we've been putting into practice in the last few games."

IN PICTURES: Action from Chester FC 3 Crewe Alex 2

Chester start the 2015-16 season at home to Braintree Town on Saturday (3pm) and Hannah reckons the Essex club's scout will have been impressed with how the Blues performed.

Hannah said: "I should imagine he'll say to try to not let us start like we did against Crewe because I think we set the tone. We closed down as a team, we backed each other up and our passing was on point.

"Like I said before, if we start like that against teams then no disrespect to Braintree, they'll not be able to live with us and that will be our main focus.

"We'll work on things this week and hopefully we can start the season like that and get our first three points."

Hannah, who scored 28 league goals in 53 starts for the Mariners, was relieved to find the net in the win over Crewe and hopes his maiden goal will be a sign of things to come.

He said: "It's been a long time coming. I've not got too downhearted in pre-season. I've had a few chances which I feel like I should have took.

"Obviously coming into a new club and coming here to score goals, I've been wanting to do that from the off but I think I've timed it right the week before the season and hopefully that's the start of something."