Signing off
An excellent workout for the Blues this evening and some encouraging signs defensively form the Blues, whose next pre-season game sees them visit Altrincham on Saturday. Good night and thanks for joining our coverage.
FT Chester FC 0 Wigan Athletic 0
No goals but Jon McCarthy will be pleased with what he has seen from his players tonight against a strong Wigan squad.
More changes
Final two subs for the Blues as Kevin Exell and Elliott Nevitt replace Blaine Hudson and Craig Mahon on 85 minutes
Chance spurned
Nice football involving Richards, Durrell and Hughes ends with Newton dragging a shot wide.
Changes on both sides
Double substitution for the Blues as Sam Hughes and Rakim Newton replace George and Joyce on 75 minutes and a change for Wigan as Danny Whitehead replaces Jason Pearce
Good save
Joe Heath’s back pass goes wrong and allows Ryan Colclough in on goal but Worsnop rushes out and saves.
Close call
Kane Richards goes close as he chases down a back-pass and Nicholls’ clearance cannons off him and wide
Free-kick saved
Hudson concedes a cheap free-kick in a dangerous area. Emyr Huws takes and Worsnop saves down low to his left.
Blues changes
Triple change for the Blues as Waters, Evans and Heath enter the fray on 65 minutes. Theo Vassell, Johnny Hunt and Evan Horwood make way.
Lucky escape
Blues almost caught out as a mistake lets Sam Cosgrove in on goal but the offside flags up. Moments later the same man fires over from Sanmi Odelusi’s cut back.
Wigan threaten
Jason Pearce goes close to breaking the deadlock with a back-post header that bounces wide of a diving Worsnop.
Encouraging
Excellent work from Theo Vassell as he overpowers Ryan Colclough and then wins a free-kick bringing the ball out from the back.
Worsnop saves
Emyr Huws with a decent hit from 20 yards for the visitors which Jon Worsnop parries and then gathers.
Slow start
Not much happening early in the second period. Wigan moving the ball well but again the Blues are defending solidly.
Double change
Two changes for the Blues as Elliott Durrell and Kane Richards replace Alabi and Chapell
HT Chester FC 0 Wigan Athletic 0
Decent contest and the Blues have done well to limit a strong Wigan side to a few half-chances.
Big chance
James Alabi gets through one-on-one after a slip in the Wigan defence but Lee Nicholls saves well before Hudson heads wide from a corner. Good end to the half.
Comfortable save
Michael Jacobs with an attempt from 20 yards that rolls tamely into the arms of Roberts.
Had it covered
Wigan are pushing now as David Perkins sweeps a shot goalwards but it goes wide again. Roberts looked like he knew that wasn’t on target.
Not far wide
Ryan Taylor bends a free-kick goalwards from 25 yards and the ball drops just wide with Roberts scrambling.
Close call
The busy Michael Jacobs opens up Chester’s defence and the ball finds Alex Gilbey but his shot from 12 yards rolls wide of the post.
Blues free-kick
Craig Mahon breaks from midfield and is brought down from behind. Free-kick about 30 yards from goal.
Ball retention
The Blues have adopted a narrow shape and it’s effective but one area where Jon McCarthy would want to see an improvement is in retaining the ball. A few too many stray passes.
