CHESTER CITY'S Nationwide Conference title aspirations could be given a boost if promotion-chasing Exeter City are found guilty of playing an illegible player.

The Devonians have been charged with signing a player after a transfer embargo was placed upon them earlier this season.

The Conference also allege that Exeter back-dated the relevant signing-on forms of Dwayne Lee, who signed for them last August. The former Football League club have until Monday to respond to the charges.

If Exeter are found guilty they could lose the 36 points they have won while Lee was playing, or even face being thrown out of the Conference for contravening its rules. If that were the case, Chester would benefit because the St James Park club are one of only three sides to have beaten them this season, while City's nearest challengers at the top of the table Hereford United have taken four points from the Grecians in their two games.

In a separate case, Exeter also face the threat of losing 10 points for entering financial administration while in membership of the Conference.

Exeter are challenging this case in the courts, and all the member Conference clubs are being asked to contribute a fee in the region of £25,000 to assist the Conference in these legal proceedings.

Chester are next in action on Saturday when last season's play-off finalists Dagenham and Redbridge visit the Deva Stadium.

Midfield dynamo Paul Carden will again be missing because of suspension, as will goalkeeper Wayne Brown, who is still suffering from the effects of a broken bone in his foot.

The former Chester player Chris Blackburn, who left the Deva Stadium last summer to join Northwich Victoria, is poised to sign for Morecambe for a fee of around £3,000.