DESPITE seeing their team fall to a rare defeat, Blues fans still got into the festive spirit at the Exacta Stadium on Saturday.

A carol concert from the Abbey Gate College Choir and a performance from local singer Scott Davies, winner of the Dee’s Got Talent competition, were the main features of a Christmas-themed day organised by club officials.

Supporters, many of whom turned up in blue and white Santa hats, also brought along gifts for the Chronicle/BiG Storage toy appeal. But Neil Young’s team showed too much generosity on the pitch as visitors Radcliffe Borough came away with a 3-2 win.

Before kick-off, fans paid their respects to former Chester players Paul Raynor and John Butler – both of whom died recently – and there was a minute’s applause for former manager Harry McNally on the sixth anniversary of his death.