BOTH sides finished with 10 men in an eventful Pontin's Holidays League Division One West clash at Bumpers Lane last night.

Tranmere's Mike Johnston went for his second yellow card in the 90th minute and City's Sean Hessey followed in injury time for a similar reason.

There were no fewer than 12 cautions but most seemed unduly harsh.

Chris Holroyd fired Chester ahead on 25 minutes after John Achterberg had part-saved a Drewe Broughton header. Moments earlier Paul Rutherford had a deflected shot hit the top of the bar.

Craig Curran put Tranmere back on terms in the 55th minute with a super strike from 25 yards and the Merseysiders went 2-1 up in the 71st minute with a simple goal by Danny Harrison when set up by Craig Curran.

Holroyd levelled it from close range from a 88th-minute Rutherford crosse.

CHESTER RES: Palethorpe, Kelly, Newton, Hessey, Bolland, Cadwallader, Rutherford, Smith (Gregory 52), Holroyd, Broughton (McManus 75), Carroll (Mitchell 52). Subs: Rule, Feliciello. TRANMERE RES: Achterberg, Holmes, Creswell, Henry, Johnston, Jennings, M. Jones, Harrison, James, Curran (Corrigan 78), Williams. Subs: Ferguson, P Jones, Behan, Gornell.