Yet another late lapse in concentration cost Chester FC two precious points as relegation rivals Boreham Wood struck in the 90th minute to rescue a 2-2 draw.
Having kicked off 45 minutes late owing to the North Londoners not arriving until 3.25pm, the Blues twice held and twice surrendered the lead.
John Rooney accounted for both goals and although Scott Doe cancelled out his opener, the midfielder's second on 65 minutes looked to have earned the win.
But in the final seconds of the 90 minutes substitute Harry White levelled the game as Chester missed the chance to move seven points clear of the bottom four.
Boreham Wood were caught cold as the Blues went ahead on 11 minutes as Ryan Higgins found Rooney, whose sweeping finish beat the diving James Russell.
But for the third game in a row, Chester failed to hold on to the lead and the visitors equalised inside five minutes. Connor Clifford's clever free-kick wasn't dealt with and Doe forced home from close range to make it 1-1.
The goal knocked the home side's confidence and for the rest of the first-half it was Wood who had the better of things with Worsnop keeping out Sam Hughes' intended back pass which threatened to roll into the bottom corner and saving well from Junior Morais before Ben Heneghan's block denied Jamie Lucas.
Following the restart, both sides struggled to impose themselves with Chester forced into a change on 52 minutes when Heneghan limped off to be replaced with Luke George.
Wood too had to make a substitution as Morais appeared lose consciousness momentarily after a clash with George as the visiting bench protested the midfielder had kneed the striker in the head.
Although the game lacked quality, the Blues got themselves in front for a second time on 65 minutes with Rooney completing a brace as his curling free-kick from 25 yards squirmed through Russell's grasp.
Worsnop saved from replacement White and Callum Reynolds as the visitors tried to find another equaliser and Lucas went close with five minutes to go when he broke clear of the defence and rounded Worsnop but failed to hit the target from a tight angle.
Chester came under pressure late on but looked to have done enough until White produced a smart finish from 20 yards that found the bottom corner to ensure the contest ended level.
Talking points
Late goals: How many points have the Blues dropped through conceding in the final 10 minutes of games? I'm not sure of the answer but I would wager it's a lot and certainly enough to have them well clear of danger. What's the reason? Fitness? Nerves? Concentration? I'm not entirely sure but I suspect each of those has been to blame at some point and it's something that needs sorting out.
Luke George: The midfielder would have been champing at the bit to get back on the pitch and while his introduction did not come in the manner he would have wanted with Ben Heneghan picking up a knock, he threw himself straight into the action, literally. George's tackle on Junior Morais was a real cruncher, although he might feel he went a step too far with the afters and can probably count himself fortunate the referee did not have a better view of what went on. Even so, it's a huge boost to have George back because the team will need his strength, both physical and mental, over the final few games.
Match facts
Chester FC: Worsnop, Higgins, Heneghan (George 52), Astles, Hunt, Rooney, Shaw, Hughes, Lloyd (Mahon 79), Alabi (Richards 69), Hannah.
Subs: Thompson, O'Brien.
Goals: Rooney 11 and 65.
Boreham Wood: Russell, Nunn, Doe, Reynolds, Woodards, Shakes, Kamdjo, Clifford, Haynes (Sam-Yorke 71), Lucas, Morais (White 62).
Subs: Cox, Sam-Yorke, White, Stephens, Devera.
Goal: Doe 16, White 90.
Booked: Doe.
Referee: Jason Whiteley (West Yorkshire).
Attendance: 1,444.
Star man: John Rooney.
Verdict
This was undoubtedly two points dropped and how crucial will those two points turn out to be at the end of the season?
Boreham Wood were there for the beating and when Chester went ahead the game was screaming out for them to go for the throat so to conceded so soon after was a hammer blow.
As we've seen, confidence in the squad is fragile and the players deserve credit for recovering from that and regaining the lead but were again unable to see out a winning position.
Those two points would have eased the tension ahead of what is now a massive game with Torquay United on Tuesday night. A win and the Blues will be almost safe, a defeat and the pressure will ratchet up a notch.
