CHESTER CITY'S renaissance under new manager Ian Rush continues to flourish, after a gritty performance that saw them deservedly defeat high-flying Scunthorpe United on Saturday.
Rush and his assistant Mark Aizlewood have given City an organisation and shape that was missing at the beginning of the League Two season, and all the hard work on the training ground is beginning to bear fruit.
City made a mockery of the form book by taking a stranglehold in midfield through Paul Carden and Ben Davies and then scored twice in a seven-minute spell midway through the first half.
After 24 minutes the inevitable breakthrough materialised. Cortez Belle powered down the right, and his cross found Kevin Ellison who drifted past his marker before striking a delightful low effort past Musselwhite.
Seven minutes later Belle was again the orchestrator, launching a long throw into the area, for Phil Bolland to send a looping header into the net.
Scunthorpe starting the second period with all guns blazing.
However, City held firm for half-an-hour with the central defensive partnership of Bolland and Danny Collins looking imperious.
Carden, who had been booked minutes earlier, was substituted by Harris after 70 minutes, and the change saw Scunthorpe begin to gain the ascendancy.
The home side reduced the arrears after 76 minutes. The ball was won in midfield, Taylor then saw his shot parried by Wayne Brown, before Butler scrambled the ball over the line from close range.
The drama continued in the 81st minute when Belle was dismissed following a clash with Crosby on the halfway line, the former Chester defender falling as if poleaxed.
Despite their numerical advantage The Iron couldn't press home their advantage, and City regis-tered their second consecutive victory, and lifted themselves off the bottom of the table.
City manager Rush said: "This was an excellent result for us.
Scunthorpe are an extremely good side and were top of the league, but there's only one way for us to go now and that's up.
"All the players did well, and they are reacting well to the way we want them to play."
Regarding Belle's dismissal, Rush said: "Cortez was fouled in the incident. I will have a look at the video before making an official comment."
SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Musselwhite, Stanton, Crosby, Butler, Ridley, Taylor, Kell, Barraclough, Sparrow (Brighton 46), Hayes, Keogh (Featherstone 78). Subs: Evans, Jackson, Byrne.
CHESTER CITY: Brown, Edmondson, Bolland, Collins, Hessey, Carden (Harris 70), Drummond, Ellison, Davies, Rapley (Stamp 90), Belle. Subs: Mackenzie, Navarro, Hope. ATT: 4,203 REF: Mr C Webster (Tyne and Wear)
