CHESTER moved another step closer to winning the league with victory at a ground which has been the scourge of their title rivals this season.

The Blues did what Northwich Victoria, Hednesford Town and Chorley were unable to do and left Westfield Lane with three points thanks to an excellent second-half showing.

Man-of-the-match Christian Smith, substitute Iain Howard and skipper George Horan struck after the break to seal a win which means Neil Young’s men remain eight points clear at the summit.

The win was made all the more impressive given in-form Frickley came into the clash on the back of a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

There was little to choose between the sides in a dour first half. But Chester’s class told after Smith put the finishing touch to the move of the match in the 63rd minute.

Playing up the slope and for periods into a strong wind and driving rain, the visitors struggled to find their rhythm in the opening period on a notoriously difficult pitch.

They did, however, manage to contain their hosts and they would have opened the scoring in the 31st minute had Horan not had a goal controversially ruled out for offside.

The courageous captain – playing through the pain of a broken nose – beat Frickley goalkeeper Stephen Dickinson to a Matty McGinn cross and headed the ball over the line only for a linesman's flag to cut short his celebrations.

Horan and the recalled Antoni Sarcevic also had efforts disallowed in a second half dominated by the Blues once Matt Glennon kept out a sharp shot on the turn from Peter Knox.

It was Smith who broke the deadlock shortly after the hour mark. Sarcevic collected the correct pass from Chris Simm and rolled the ball across the area for the midfielder to tap in his fourth goal of the season.

The lead lasted less than a minute. Right-back Wes Baynes lost possession on the edge of the box and Ryan Mallon crossed for Knox to volley the Yorkshiremen level in emphatic fashion.

Chester’s response to the setback was impressive. Smith tested Dickinson from distance before Howard justified Young’s decision to bring him off the bench with a fantastic 71st-minute finish.

The winger raced on to Simm’s through pass and skipped past the onrushing Dickinson before firing the ball into the back of the net for his ninth goal of the campaign.

Simm should have got his name on the scoresheet five minutes later when he was sent clean through on goal. But just as he was about to pull the trigger, the ball took a horrendous bobble and he blazed his attempt over the bar.

The outcome was put beyond doubt 10 minutes from time when Horan capped another commanding performance with an expertly directed header from a Sarcevic centre into the box.

Frickley: Dickinson, Cyrus, Walsh, Gray, Turner, Bleau, Ludlam, Ashmore, Mallon, South (Ryan 82), Knox. Subs: Adams, Schofield, Hood.

Goal: Knox 64.

Chester: Glennon, Baynes, Horan, Taylor, McGinn, Sarcevic, Brown (Powell 74), Smith, Wright (Howard 61), Simm (M Williams 82), McNeil. Subs: Brownhill, Cox.

Goals: Smith 63, Howard 71, Horan 80.

Referee: Paul Cook (Hull).

Attendance: 720.