CHESTER City moved up to 10th place in Coca-Cola League Two last night when they came from behind to defeat 10-man Hartlepool United.
City didn't show any of their normal fluidity in the first half and were rather fortunate that they only trailed by one goal in the opening 30 minutes.
The North-easterners' goal came after nine minutes after a bad mistake by City keeper Jon Danby. A back-pass from Sandwith should have been easily cleared by the home keeper, but he appeared to panic and smashed the ball into the midriff of the onrushing Joel Porter. The ball then ricocheted off the striker and over the line from eight yards.
Two minutes later Liddle should have doubled his team's advantage, but he shot wide from 10 yards.
Hartlepool were reduced to 10 men after 17 minutes when Jon Daly was dismissed following an incident with Chester defender Dave Artell. The players clashed as they went for a high ball inside the City area. Daly appeared to lead with his elbow and Artell fell to the ground where he lay motionless.
A linesman's flag alerted referee Andy Woolmer and he then showed the striker a straight red.
On the half hour Danby made amends for his earlier howler when he made an excellent save to deny Bullock's 20-yard free-kick.
The home side should have levelled 10 minutes from the break, but Blundell scooped the ball over the bar from six yards after Jon Walters' through ball.
Three minutes into added time in the first period Chester grabbed their equaliser.
A free-kick from Martinez found Marples on the right. He delivered a cross into the area which eluded the visitors' defence, allowing Ashley Westwood to slide the ball home from close range.
City started the second period well and Wilson and Walters both went close with efforts.
After 52 minutes Chester grabbed what turned out to be the winner. Again Martinez and Marples were the orchestrators, playing a neat one-two down the right. Marples delivered a cross into the area which found Blundell whose close range header was parried by Konstantopoulos. The ball then fell to Walters who hammered it home from close range.
City then upped a gear and were unlucky not to add to their lead Blundell and Hand both saw efforts go wide and Konstantopoulos made a tremendous save to deny Blundell's header.
City manager Mark Wright said: "I didn't think we were at the races in the first half and that is disappointing. In fact we could easily have been two or three down. However, we did come back well in the second period, but still there are things about the performance that I'm not overly happy with."
CHESTER CITY: Danby, Marples, Sandwith, Westwood, Artell, Bennett, Hand, Martinez, Wilson (Linwood 78), Walters, Blundell. Subs: Broughton, Bolland, Hessey, Vaughan. HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Konstantopoulos, Barron, Robson (Brackstone 15), Nelson, Clark, Humphreys, Porter (Brown 76), Bullock, Liddle, Daly, Foley (Maidens 80). Subs: Strachan, Provett. REFEREE: Mr Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire) ATT: 2,580.
