CHESTER CITY'S new manager Keith Curle takes up his position at the Deva Stadium this morning - and after Saturday's error-strewn performance against Northampton Town, the ex-England defender will know he has his work cut out.

Curle witnessed proceedings from the main stand and his note-pad must have been full with observations about players and where the much needed improvements are to be made.

Victory lifted Northampton into the play-off places for the first time this season and that heady status is City's ambition for next season.

It will be interesting to see how many of the 16-man Chester squad who were on duty at the weekend are named for the penultimate match of next season.

Saturday's game provided a stark contrast from the final home match of last season, when victory against Scarborough ensured the Nationwide Conference championship and sent a record Deva Stadium crowd into raptures of delight.

The defeat against The Cobblers seemed to be meekly accepted by the City players and the home supporters and it is to be hoped that the performance at Oxford in the last game of this disappointing season next week is much improved.

Northampton's two-goal hero Andy Kirk could easily have doubled his tally had he not been denied by the woodwork and a couple of excellent saves from Chris Mackenzie in the City goal.

Kirk's first goal came after 22 minutes. Richard Hope failed to cut out a cross from the left by McGleish and the ex-Boston United striker turned majestically before sidefooting past Mackenzie.

Two minutes into the second period Kirk doubled his tally. Hope, who had another disappointing game, failed to deal properly with a long throughball and Kirk took his tally to six goals in seven games.

City's miserable afternoon was summed up 13 minutes from time when Ben Davies blazed a penalty well wide, the spot-kick being awarded after he had been brought down by Chambers.

After the match City's caretaker manager David Bell ruefully reflected: "We were well beaten. A lot of players didn't play to their full potential. The players should have done better.

"The back four played too deep and our midfield gave the ball away much too easy. Our players wanted to do well today in front of the new boss, but it didn't happen."

He added: "There were too many mistakes and too many players have had a bad day. We have now got to pick ourselves up for next week's final game at Oxford."

CHESTER: Mackenzie, Vaughan, Bolland, Hope, Regan, Davies, Drummond, Carden, Foy, Booth (M Brown 55), Lowe. Subs: W Brown, Harris, Walsh, Lynch.

NORTHAMPTON TOWN: Harper, Togwell, Chambers, Willmott, Murray, Low, Rowson (Richards 89), Hearn, Smith (Williamson 46), Kirk (Sabin 78), McGleish. Subs: Bojic, Galbraith.