THE Blues marked their return to the Deva Stadium in style this afternoon, sealing an emphatic victory over Aberystwyth Town.
The Welsh Premier League visitors were always second best to Neil Young’s Chester, who were playing their first home game since reforming from the ashes of Chester City FC.
A crowd of 1,132 saw the Blues chalk up their second win in three days on a historic afternoon for football in the city.
The hosts – fresh from Thursday’s 4-0 success over Heswall - were comfortably the better side, with playmaker Andy Burgess and winger Iain Howard always to the fore in the first half.
The first chance arrived on six minutes when Burgess – a recent signing from Mansfield Town – fed the ball through to Michael Wilde, who went charging down the left flank. The striker’s sharp, low cross found Mark Connolly, who slid a shot wide from six yards.
Aber assistant manager Christian Edwards was convinced Wilde should have been flagged offside – and was sent to the stands by referee Paddy Mohan for his repeated protests.
Aber keeper Stephen Cann thwarted Connolly soon after, with the resulting throw-in leading to Chester’s opening goal. The ball fell to Mark Peers – a fleet-footed former Halifax winger on trial with the Blues – and his pin-point cross from the right was swept home on the half-volley by Howard at the far post.
Chester continued to enjoy the better of the opening period, without forcing Cann into serious action.
The Aber goalkeeper was replaced for the second half by Dave Roberts, who had a major hand in Chester’s second of the afternoon on 53 minutes. Roberts’ poor clearance fell straight to the feet of Peers, who did his chances of earning a permanent deal no harm with a superb, Beckham-esque lob from all of 45 yards.
With the match won, Blues boss Young made a flurry of substitutions and the chances continued to come thick and fast.
Rob Hopley had a shot cleared off the line and also hit the crossbar, while fellow sub Chris Rountree failed to make the most of a clear one-on-one chance.
A deserved third goal for Chester came three minutes from time when Stuart Jones powered home a header from Howard's corner kick, putting the seal on an enjoyable afternoon for the Deva faithful.
Chester: Whiteside (Oldfield 54), Aspin (Rountree 78), Graves, Horan, Stones, Rigoglioso (Williams 54), Peers (Armstrong 62), Connolly (Jones 70), Wilde (Taylor 87), Burgess (Hopley 54), Howard. Booked: Rigoglioso, Horan.
Attendance: 1,132.
Referee: Paddy Mohan (Warrington).
