A FURIOUS Neil Young has revealed the half-time dressing down he delivered in Saturday’s FA Trophy draw at home to Worksop Town fell on deaf ears.

Chester FC were two goals up and cruising at the break thanks to Nathan Jarman’s double strike.

But fearing complacency had begun to creep into their game, Blues boss Young tore into his side at the interval.

But the Chester players failed to heed their manager’s warning and lower-league Worksop fought back to earn a deserved replay with goals from Leon Mettam and Ash Burbeary.

Young said: “I knew it was coming. That’s why I had a go at them at half-time because I could tell in their demeanour what was happening.

“Our lads thought it was too easy as they kept letting us have the ball. But when we gave the ball away we didn’t do what we are good at and that’s pressing the game.”

The Blues were down to just 14 fit and available senior players for the third qualifying round clash.

But Young said: “The side we had out there should have been able to do a job.

“We can make all the excuses in the world but we were 2-0 up at home against a team in a division lower than us.

“We weren’t good enough and on the second-half performance, we’re probably lucky to still be in the Trophy.”

Chester have won 13 of the 19 competitive matches they have played so far this season and sit two points off top spot in Blue Square Bet North, having played two games less than leaders Brackley Town.

But going into Wednesday’s replay at Worksop’s Sandy Lane home (7.45pm), Young has warned his players they cannot afford to rest on their laurels.

He said: “We’re not here to pat each other on the back and give bouquets out – we’re here to win football matches.”

Young picked out the debutant Craig Curran’s encouraging display off the bench as one of the few ‘positives’ he took from Saturday’s draw.

Former Tranmere Rovers starlet Curran, 23, has joined the Blues on a five-week loan from League Two Rochdale.

Young also hailed Jarman’s ‘outstanding’ first-half showing in which the striker headed home a Levi Mackin cross and dinked the most impudent of finishes over Worksop’s 42-year-old goalkeeper Paul Bastock.

Mettam reduced the deficit when he punished a rare error from John Danby and Burbeary levelled the tie with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area.

The winners of Wednesday’s replay will host King Lynn’s Town in the first round proper on Saturday, November 24 (3pm).