CHESTER manager Mark Wright fumed about a penalty injustice, but he would have been better off worrying about his team's old problem - failing to make the most of their chances.
Wright was angry that Exeter's Scott Hiley wasn't sent off after conceding the 19th-minute penalty which produced Chester's goal from Ian Foster.
'Everyone knows the rules and he should have gone,' he said. 'The game hinged on that decision because if he had gone, it would have been game over.'
And the Blues boss added: 'We missed an absolute sitter to make it 2-0 and that would have finished it. Instead, they get a lucky goal and end up winning.
'I'm not happy. Our keeper made only one save and we end up losing the game.'
In a lively opening spell, Chester looked good and Ben Davies and Foster went close to scoring, but at the other end, the defenders were relieved to see efforts from Kwame Amapadu and Glenn Cronin miss the target.
After Chester had gone in front, Jon Brady, in his first game of the season, should have done better with a header in front of goal which went wide. And it was against the run of play that Exeter levelled after 30 minutes through Martin Thomas, who headed home following a poor clearance.
There were chances at both ends before Exeter grabbed the winner on the hour when Reiner Moor fired home after Steve Flack's shot had been parried by goalkeeper Ian McCaldon.
Chester piled on the pressure in a bid to save a point, but their old failings were there for all to see.
Exeter: Bittner, Hiley, Gaia, Todd, Jeannin, Coppinger (Canham 90), Cronin, Thomas, Ampadu (Afful 59), Flack, Moor (Cheeseman 74). Subs: Rice McConnell.
Booked: Cronin, Thomas. Chester: McCaldon, Collins, Hatswell, Bolland, Ruffer (Twiss 66), Brady, Davies, Carden, McIntyre, Foster (Beesley 76), Stamp. Subs: Rapley, Carey, Heard.
Booked: Carden, McIntyre. Referee: R East (Wilton). Attendance: 3,030.
