Marcus Bignot admits his Chester FC side did not possess enough quality in the final third after their survival hopes took another hammer blow with a 1-0 loss at 10-man Woking.
Josh Staunton’s deflected effort on 23 minutes proved decisive at the Kingfield Stadium as Chester laboured against a Cards side who had to play the finak 30 minutes with 10 men after Matt Young was shown a dubious straight red card for a challenge on James Akintunde.
Aside from a late Ross Hannah effort that hit the bar, Chester never looked like making a breakthrough in Surrey and were left to contemplate yet another opportunity wasted to claw themselves up the table.
“With the sending off we got Ross Hannah on the pitch and we got our three strikers on the pitch and we tried to be positive,” said Bignot.
“On reflection we just weren’t good enough on the ball, but as a manager you can’t criticise players on the ball. We had some good areas but let ourselves down in some periods and moments.
“Of course it is difficult but nobody today could question their effort, we just didn’t have that quality in the final third. We just lacked that final ball into the box and that final finish.
“We have an opportunity on Saturday to go on a run of results, and we will need a run of results.”
Bignot did reserve some praise for loanee Shaun Hobson, who put in a competent display at the heart of defence on his Chester debut, and he also praised Shepherd Murombedzi after he played for free again for the football club after an injury to Andy Halls ruled him out.
Said Bignot: “It was a makeshift back four but Shaun can be really happy. I was happy with his performance. And we appreciate Shep coming out once again to help us. We lost Reece Hall-Johnson and Andy Halls is injured. We appreciate what he is doing and in an area we need him.”
Defeat sees Chester drop to second bottom after Torquay United won 2-1 at Maidenhead United, although Barrow’s postponed game with Hartlepool means that the Blues remain just four points from safety.
