A SUPERB hat-trick from Kevin Ellison saw Chester pocket three points at Blundell Park this afternoon.

Having opened the scoring in the first half, the City forward bagged two spectacular strikes late in the game to leave Grimsby still searching for their first win in League Two this season.

There were only three minutes on the clock when City broke the deadlock. Stephen Vaughan’s pass was flicked on by Ryan Lowe to Ellison, who raced through on goal and beat keeper Phil Barnes with a low right-footed finish.

Chester should have doubled their lead on 26 minutes when Mark Hughes lofted a pass over the Grimsby defence to Lowe, only for the former Shrewsbury man to slice just wide on his left foot from a good position.

The Mariners almost drew level two minutes later, Matthew Heywood heading wide with the goal at his mercy after Chester keeper John Danby missed a cross from the right.

Danby was called upon to save a Peter Till volley as half time approached, then James Vaughan made a crucial goal-line clearance from Ryan Bennett’s looping header.

Blues boss Simon Davies made a change at the break, introducing Anthony Barry for Lowe, who had been out of sorts since receiving a blow to the head mid-way through the first period.

But it was another half-time substitute, Danny North, who got Grimsby back in the game. The striker hooked in a loose ball from close range after Danby and his defence had failed to clear a corner by Javan Vidal.

Chester struggled to retain possession for much of the second period, allowing Grimsby to press forward.

Danby made two stunning saves in the space of two minutes, diving to his right to keep out a Nathan Jarman header before making an excellent reflex stop from Danny Boshell’s stinging half-volley.

But just when it seemed inevitable that Grimsby would score, City went ahead with a goal out of the blue 12 minutes from time.

Ellison was the man who got it, curling an absolutely stunning free-kick into the top corner from almost 30 yards after Damien Mozika had been fouled.

And Ellison completed his hat-trick five minutes from time with another trademark strike. Sub Paul McManus played the onrushing Mozika into space and the Frenchman’s square pass was met with a clubbing left-footed drive from Ellison.

In a frantic final few minutes, Grimsby’s Boshell sent a penalty kick wide of Danby’s goal after being upended by James Vaughan and Chester hit the bar twice in injury time through Mark Hughes and McManus.

Grimsby: Barnes, Newey, Bennett, Heywood, Till (Stockdale 86), Llewellyn (North 46), Boshell, Hunt, Vidal, Hegarty (Heslop 28), Jarman. Subs: Montgomery, Stockdale, Clarke.

Chester: Danby, J Vaughan, Roberts, Linwood, Kelly, Hughes, Mozika, S Vaughan, Partridge (McManus 75), Lowe (Barry 46), Ellison. Subs: Harris, Rutherford, Williams.

Referee: Mark Haywood (West Yorkshire).

Attendance: 2,950 (118 away).