CHESTER'S title charge suffered a setback as their remarkable record of having kept a clean sheet in all their away games this season came to an end at Woking.

A penalty six minutes from time was enough to condemn Mark Wright's side to their third successive match without a win.

Ben Abbey's thumping 84th-minute spot-kick gave Woking's caretaker-manager Glenn Cockerill the perfect start as Chester's misery was compounded by a double sending-off in the closing 10 minutes.

Chester were unable to find a way through the backline of a team who had lost eight of their last 10 matches and who had shipped the worst defensive record in the Conference.

The visitors had their chances, but could not beat Woking keeper Shwan Jalal. He was largely untroubled in the first half by a series of long-range efforts, although Kevin McIntyre gave him a scare when he charged into the area only to be halted by a covering defender.

City nearly gifted Woking an opening goal on 43 minutes, but Anthony Allman's shot was headed off the line by Chris Blackburn.

Substitute Mark Beesley gave Woking problems on the left, but keeper Jalal was at his best to deny both him and Michael Twiss twice. Woking also kept out a free-kick directly in front of goal after Jawal had been penalised for obstruction on David Cameron when he went to claim a cross.

The deadlock was broken when McIntyre fouled Allman to give the home side a penalty. McIntyre argued against the decision and was shown two yellow cards and then a red.

The goal gave City a sense of urgency, but they were reduced to nine men in injury time when Wayne Hatswell received his second yellow card.

CHESTER CITY: Brown (W), Lancaster, Bolland, Hatswell, Brady, Carey, Blackburn, McIntyre, Brown (M), Cameron, Sugden Subs: McCalden, Guyett, Beesley, Davies, Twiss

Attendance: 2,019