Chester stretched their winning run in National League 2 North to four matches with an excellent bonus-point 31-0 home success over Stourbridge on Saturday.
The result was made all the more impressive by the fact that Stourbridge, despite their poor form, were no pushovers.
The Midlanders boasted a strong pack that dominated the scrum and contained powerful ball carriers.
But they were unable to capitalise on the good ball they won due to handling errors and Chester turnovers.
The Hare Lane outfit’s defence was strong throughout, with good line speed forcing error after error in the Stourbridge midfield and at the breakdown, where Andy Bastin and Mike Craven were especially effective in building the turnover count.
Chester opened the scoring in the fifth minute, Kyle Joseph crossing for a converted try following a series of pick and goes by the forwards close to the line, before surviving a number of scares, including a straightforward penalty that hit the post.
It came somewhat against the run of play, then, when Callum Bennett extended the advantage in the 35th minute with a penalty.
Both sides had periods of pressure early in the second half but once again only Chester managed to make progress on the scoreboard.
There were 47 minutes on the clock when scrum-half Tom Holloway broke forward before Ross White beat two defenders to cross at the posts for a try converted by Bennett.
Over the next 20 minutes it took a well organised, if sometimes desperate, defence and more attacking errors to keep Stourbridge from reducing the deficit from a series of scrums and lineouts deep in the home 22.
But, having survived unscathed, Chester went further in front in the 70th minute after Tom Foden stretched out to score after good work by James Preston and Alex Burrage, who added the extras.
And, right at the death, the hosts once more demonstrated their superior control and execution.
After White won an attacking five-metre lineout at the back, the pack drove the ball over for Ed Morris to notch the bonus-point try, which was converted by Burrage.
Fifth-placed Chester, who have won seven of their eight games since the turn of the year, head to fourth-placed Leicester Lions tomorrow (3pm).
Meanwhile, Chester and Cheshire starlet Burrage, who attends Bishop Heber High School, has been named in England Counties Under-18s’ 23-man squad for their two-match tour of Ireland next month.
Counties play Ireland U18 Clubs on Wednesday, April 12, and again three days later, at Ashbourne RUFC.
Christleton, meanwhile, were 36-17 winners at home to Mossley Hill at the weekend.
