Chester rounded off their pre-season campaign with a 2-1 home defeat by Burnley under-21s.

James Akintunde had handed the home side a first half lead but second half efforts from young Burnley duo Frazier Murdock and Dan Agyei secured the success for the Premier League Clarets.

In truth it was a light workout for the Blues who never looked like pushing things too hard with their National League opener at Gateshead just days away.

Blues boss Jon McCarthy opted to deploy Luke George and Ryan Astles as centre backs with Ross Killock still nursing an injury and Blaine Hudson rested following a kick in the 3-0 defeat to Burton Albion on Saturday.

Kane Richards was also given a rest after taking a knock while Theo Vassell was handed the chance to get valuable minutes under his belt ahead of Saturday's trip to Gateshead after missing part of pre-season with a niggling injury.

The Blues controlled the opening half for long periods without creating any real clear-cut chances, although James Alabi should have done better when he beat keeper Conor Mitchell to the ball on the dead ball line but his angled effort went well wide.

Chester's backline proved a tough nut to crack for the young Clarets and Freddy Yao's 20-yard effort from Murdock's pass flew over and was as close as the Lancashire side would come in the opening half.

Craig Mahon picked up a knock in the second half
Craig Mahon picked up a knock in the second half

Chester broke the deadlock when Johnny Hunt's ball in from the left saw Sam Hughes, deployed in the centre of midfield, rise with Mitchell with the ball being knocked on to Akintunde who headed back at goal with Mitchell scrambling and pawing away. But it was too late as the striker's header had crossed the line and took his tally to four in three pre-season games.

As expected, Chester made wholesale changes at the break, a possible indicator as to who may start at Gateshead on Saturday, but the Blues started brightly and Akintunde hit the post when he flicked a Matty Waters ball onto the woodwork from six yards.

But Burnley were level on 57 minutes against the run of play when Khius Metz played a low ball into the path of Murdock who side-footed home from 12 yards to level matters.

The Clarets were in front on 72 minutes when substitute Agyei was given room to run at Hughes, now deployed at centre back, beating him for pace and slotting beyond Worsnop.

One concerning sign for Blues boss McCarthy was the sight of Craig Mahon limping off late on after coming under a heavy challenge.

James Akintunde puts Chester in front against Burnley
James Akintunde puts Chester in front against Burnley

MATCH FILE

Chester FC: Worsnop, Evans, Astles (Mahon 46), Vassell (Jones 46), Hunt (Waters 46), George (Shaw 46), Hughes, Joyce, Durrell (Crawford 60), Alabi (Edwards 46), Akintunde.

Subs: Roberts

Goals: Akintunde 36

Bookings:

Burnley: Mitchell, Birch (Koiki 63), Dummigan, Yao, Anderson, Dunne (Olomowewe 72), Jackson (Chakwana 60), Thomas, Murdock, Metz (McNeil 70), Leitch (Agyei 46).

Subs: King, Howarth

Goals: Murdock 57, Agyei 72

Bookings:

Attendance: 577

Referee: Joe Johnson (Liverpool).