AN UNCONVINCING victory and defeats for two of their title rivals sent Chester three points clear at the top.

Goals from Alex Brown and Matty McNeil ensured the leaders returned to winning ways and made the most of slips from Hednesford Town and Northwich Victoria.

With Chorley also dropping points, it amounted to the almost perfect afternoon for the Blues.

But Neil Young will be far from happy from what was a laboured performance against spirited yet limited opposition.

Mickleover’s preparations for the match could not have been worse.

Players and staff from the relegation-threatened Derbyshire outfit were told on the eve of the game they would be forced to take a pay cut. The last thing their morale needed, therefore, was to concede an early goal.

There seemed little danger when McNeil laid the ball off for Brown 22 yards from goal. The midfielder, however, took one touch before firing left-footed low into the bottom corner to break the deadlock 10 minutes in.

Brown’s second goal of the season spared the blushes of Michael Wilde, who had earlier shot straight at Damian Clarke after Jerome Wright and McNeil combined to play the recalled striker in.

Wilde’s strike partner showed him out to do it in the 19th minute.

The ball was worked out wide to Robbie Booth. The winger looked up before standing the ball up for McNeil to expertly head in his 12th goal of the campaign.

With Liam Brownhill and Wright shooting over when well placed, at this stage of the match it seemed a case of when and not if the hosts would score again.

Instead it was the visitors who struck next after Matty McGinn needlessly lost possession down the Mickleover right.

Martin Smyth was the man to benefit. He cleverly poked the ball through McGinn’s legs before crossing for the unmarked Eric Graves to flash a fine header past John Danby.

McNeil saw two chances come and go in the final four minutes of a flat first half yet in truth Chester were struggling to find any sort of rhythm.

Matters did not improve after the restart although Antoni Sarcevic did his best to enliven the subdued Exacta Stadium crowd when he cut inside on to his left foot and clipped the crossbar from 20 yards.

Blues boss Young introduced Chris Simm and debutant Stefan Cox in an effort to inject some urgency into his side.

Winger Cox was the liveliest of Young’s three second-half substitutes but it was Iain Howard and Simm who could and should have put the final outcome beyond doubt.

Howard was unfortunate to see a well-struck effort cleared off the line before the unmarked Simm headed over in injury-time from a Sarcevic corner.

Chester: Danby, Brownhill, Horan, Taylor, McGinn, Booth (Howard 85), Sarcevic, Brown, Wright (Cox 69), Wilde (Simm 61), McNeil. Subs: Rainford, Smith.

Goals: Brown 10, McNeil 19.

Mickleover: Clarke, Grocott, McAughtrie, Wood, Hoyle, Smyth, Walshe, Simpson (Farthing 73), Guy (Strzyzewski 34), Graves, Richie-Smith (Pawley 79). Subs: Dodsley.

Booked: Simpson, Grocott, Hoyle, Smyth.

Goal: Graves 41.

Referee: Paul Marsden (Preston).

Attendance: 2,068.