SOLIHULL played the role of party poopers to perfection as the champions’ final home game of an unforgettable season ended in relative disappointment.

Omar Bogle’s early penalty ensured Chester suffered their first home defeat of the campaign and their first since they went down to Hednesford Town on January 21, 2012 – a remarkable run of 34 league and cup matches.

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The result also condemned the reborn Blues – who were beaten 2-1 at long-term title rivals Guiseley eight days earlier – to back-to-back league losses for the first time since they formed following the demise of Chester City three years ago.

But all that was forgotten the moment George Horan – who has captained the club to each of their three successive championship victories – lifted the Blue Square Bet North trophy at the end of an afternoon that began with an on-pitch message from chairman Tony Durkin.

Durkin told the second biggest Exacta Stadium crowd of the season that the financial problems facing the club – it will post a significant five-figure loss when its annual accounts are released later this year – are ‘under control’ and ‘heading in the right direction’.

Horan got his hands on silverware four days earlier, too, after the Blues beat league rivals Stalybridge Celtic to win the Cheshire Senior Cup.

Neil Young made four changes to the side that started the windswept Wincham Park showpiece as John Danby, Scott Brown, Iain Howard and Nathan Jarman replaced Martin Fearon, Lewis Turner, Matty McGinn and Marc Williams.

One of Danby’s first actions of the game was to pick the ball out the back of the net.

There were nine minutes on the clock when Bogle slotted a cool left-footed spot-kick past the returning goalkeeper, who was making his 200th appearance for the club.

It was a spot-kick the in-form Bogle won himself, Ashley Williams hauling down the forward after he had powered his way into the area.

Solihull – in confident mood after back-to-back wins over play-off chasing Harrogate Town – would have doubled their lead 10 minutes later had Darryl Knights not sliced wide when one-on-one with Danby. 

It was a let-off for the badly out-of-sorts hosts.

A bigger one was to follow later in the half, however, as Dominic Langdon somehow failed to turn the ball home from virtually on the goal line after a Ryan Beswick free kick floated into the box came back off the post.

Unsurprisingly Chester boss Young made a change at the break as Marc Williams replaced namesake Ashley Williams.

The arrival of the former Wrexham forward brought about an improvement, Tony Gray forcing Jasbir Singh into his first save of the match.

But it was not until Young was sent to the stands in the 59th minute for dissent – following a poor Jay Denny challenge on Dom Collins – that his team truly looked like getting an equaliser.

Firstly Horan had a header cleared off the line by Luke Connolly before Danny Williams controlled an excellent crossfield pass from Gray and saw a rising drive parried by Singh.

But the visitors survived a late scare, as Horan nodded just wide, to claim a deserved three points.

Chester: Danby, Hankin, Collins, Horan, D Williams, Sarcevic, A Williams (M Williams 46), Brown, Howard (McGinn 63), Gray, Jarman (L Turner 76). Subs: Fearon, Baynes.

Solihull: Singh, Connolly, Langdon, Denny, Kemp, Pierpoint, Knights (Spencer 88), Beswick, Bogle, Birch (Joseph 88), Angus (Blackwood 88). Subs: Acton, Hayden.

Goal: Bogle 9 pen.

Booked: Denny, Joseph.

Referee: Ricky Wootton (Wakefield).

Attendance: 3,414.