Chester FC boss Jon McCarthy says his players executed the game plan perfectly during Wednesday night's 0-0 pre-season friendly draw at home to Championship outfit Wigan Athletic.

McCarthy's solid and organised side frustrated a Wigan side stacked with Championship talent for 90 minutes, with the Blues boss delighted to see the hard work on the training ground come to fruition.

Chester had to deal with long spells without the ball but were able to shut out the Latics who, minus Northern Ireland international Will Grigg, brought their first team squad.

"All the work that we have done early on in pre-season is about shape," he said.

"We can't get a better session against a team of that quality where they are going to have possession, have the ball at the back and have a midfield that drops deep, full-backs that go wide and wingers that come off. It almost posed all those questions in one session.

"What we've asked them to do in training, we have seen them take that to another level."

"That gives them a lot of belief in what we are asking them to do. I'm delighted with how they did."

Wigan made a host of changes at the break, but McCarthy also used the game as a chance to give some of the younger players a chance to shine and he was pleased with what he saw.

He said: "We made nine changes and had four from the youth team out there but they were still able to recognise the shift.

"We're going to have a smallish squad of about 20, with cover for every position, but I need to everybody to know what is expected with regards to the shape. It is the understanding of what we are asking them to do."