CHESTER CITY arrested a five-game losing streak with last night's Coca-Cola League Two draw at the Deva Stadium, against the 10-men of Torquay United.

The match was a scrappy affair, which wasn't helped by the predicament of both clubs and an extremely heavy pitch.

However, the point which could prove to be priceless at the end of the season, means that City have slightly eased their relegation worries.

Without doubt the defining moment of the game came six minutes into the second period when Torquay's Lee Thorpe was dismissed after a clash with City's Ben Davies.

Thorpe brought Davies down on the half-way line, and then as the players stood up, he appeared to clash heads with the City midfielder which left referee Mr Hill with no alternative but to show him a straight red card.

In the first period Chester opened up strongly and Mark Albrighton and Gregg Blundell both sent efforts narrowly wide.

Paul Harrison, who was making his debut for City, made an excellent save to deny Woods after nine minutes. The former Liverpool keeper diving full length to push the striker's header around the post for a corner.

Torquay broke the deadlock after 22 minutes, when a cross from the right by Phillips wasn't cut out by the Chester defence, and Kevin Hill hammered the ball past City's debutant.

City had a couple of chances just prior to the break, with Albrighton and man of the match, Paul Ellender, both going close.

Six minutes after Thorpe's dismissal, City grabbed their equaliser, which was only their second goal in six matches, Sean Hessey crossed from the left and Blundell scored from close range, with the ball squirming under the body of Marriott.

City then came forward strongly looking for what would have been the winner, but Marriott made a string of excellent saves, particularly from Ryan Lowe and Paul Tait, which earned the Devonians their point.

After the match City manager Mark Wright reflected: "This gives us a platform to build on, I thought we should have had a winner in the second half, but there are a lot of positives we can take from this victory.

"I've said many times before there isn't a great deal between the top sides and the lower sides in this division, and everybody is capable of beating everybody else on the day."

Chester are in action on Saturday when they travel to Darlington at the Williamson Stadium.

CHESTER CITY: Harrison, Regan (Asamoah, 58), McNiven, Hessey, Albrighton, Ellender, Drummond, Davies, Lowe (Curtis, 90), Blundell, Tait (Richardson, 78). Subs: Artell, S Vaughan.

TORQUAY UNITED: Marriott, Hockley, Reed, Sharp, Villis, Hill (Kuffour, 58), Garner, Woods, Thorpe, Phillips (Lloyd, 67), Bedeau (Robinson, 74). Subs: Taylor, Afful.

REFEREE: Mr Keith Hill, Hertfordshire.

ATT: 1,806.