NEIL Young’s decision to recall Chris Simm and Wes Baynes paid dividends as the duo swept Chester to an emphatic win which stretched their lead at the summit to eight points.

Baynes scored two stunning strikes and Simm netted a brace of his own to ensure Neil Young’s table-toppers took full advantage of slip-ups from their title rivals.

All the talk before the game surrounded Blues boss Young’s surprise swoop for former Stockport County goalkeeper Matt Glennon.

The 33-year-old, who has signed a deal until the end of the season, was thrown straight into the starting line-up.

But it was a more familiar name who got the Exacta Stadium faithful off their feet in the fourth minute of the match.

Racing on to Matty McGinn’s ball over the top, Simm showed pace to pull clear of the Buxton defence and then composure to rifle a right-footed 15-yard finish past Scott Hartley.

The striker’s sixth goal of the season – and his first since October – set the tone for what was a dominant display by Chester.

Christian Smith sent a backheeled effort straight at Hartley and Stefan Cox dragged a 20-yard shot past the post before the second goal arrived in the 32nd minute – and what a goal it was too.

There seemed little danger when the Blues won a free kick 40 yards from goal out wide on the right.

But the quick-thinking Baynes spotted Hartley off his line and showed superb technique to curl the ball over the stranded goalkeeper and high into the roof of the goal.

The relegation-threatened Bucks ended Chester’s eight-game winning run in October when they came from behind to draw the reverse fixture at Silverlands.

But their hopes of a similar fightback were ended in the 54th minute when Simm doubled his tally for the afternoon.

Jerome Wright’s delightful through pass was begging to be converted – and Simm duly obliged as he fired a left-footed angled drive under Hartley and into the net.

Worse was to follow for the hapless stopper in the 62nd minute when he was embarrassed by Baynes for the second time.

Hartley came charging out of his box to tackle substitute Antoni Sarcevic but his attempted clearance only went as far as right-back Baynes, who looked up before brilliantly chipping the ball over a crowd of bodies and into the unguarded goal from 30 yards.

The visitors had their moments, with Glennon blocking from Peter Davidson and then turning a well-struck Mark Reed free kick over the bar, but the hosts ran out comfortable winners.

Chester: Glennon, Baynes, Taylor, Horan, McGinn, Cox (Sarcevic 55), Smith, Brown (Powell 65), Wright, McNeil (M Williams 74), Simm. Subs: Brownhill, Howard.

Booked: Smith.

Goals: Simm 4, 54, Baynes 32, 64.

Buxton: Hartley, Black, Hawes, Wilde, Bounab (Roberts 62), Lugsden, Istead, Davidson (Maxfield 62), Ridley (Towey 62), Reed, Barraclough. Subs: Agus, Turner.

Booked: Lugsden, Hartley.

Referee: David Underwood (Hambleton).

Attendance: 2,470.