Chester FC 's young guns did the football club proud as they made club history by winning a national competition.

A Lloyd Marsh-Hughes strike on 15 minutes, a Cain Noble penalty and an injury time strike from the excellent Iwan Murray ensured Calum McIntyre's charges lifted the National League Alliance Under-19 Cup with a 3-0 success over FC Halifax Town.

So often the young Blues have been a ray of light in the gloom over these past 12 months, and they once again showed that the future is bright with a deserved success at Walsall's Banks's Stadium.

And they were cheered on by over 300 fans in the 415-strong crowd, with the victory putting another spring in the step of Blues fans after seven days of good news after month after month of misery.

Chester started the contest in bright fashion and it didn't take long for them to register an attempt on goal when Murray made his way to the byline and stood up a cross to the back post that was met by the head of Cain Noble, with the Lache youngsters header gathered at the second attempt by Halifax keeper Jack Atkinson with five minutes on the clock.

Three minutes later and Atkinson was called into action again when the impressive Murray whipped in a cross to the far post to find an unmarked Dion Jones, with the North Walian defender's header beaten away well by the Shaymen stopper.

Chester were well on top, winning second balls and breaking quickly from back to front.

And they had the lead on 15 minutes when Rhain Hellawell's tough tackle just inside the opposition half found Marsh-Hughes who managed to spin his marker expertly to race clear before steadying himself and firing low and hard at Atkinson with the ball ricocheting into the back of the net. It was no less than Chester deserved for the early dominance.

And they came close to adding to their tally shortly after when Murray clipped a corner out to the edge of the box where Alex Downes connected first time with a sweetly struck volley only to see his effort cannon off a Halifax head and out for a corner.

Murray was then denied on 20 minutes after he managed to fashion some space before he set Marsh-Hughes clear down the right two minutes later, with the Blues' goalscorer cutting back for Noble only to see the ball poked clear to Murray whose effort flew just past Atkinson's left-hand post.

Halifax weren't offering much of a threat at the other end with a Kelan Swales 30-yarder about as much as they could muster as they struggled to cope with the Blues.

Noble saw a 20-yarder saved by Atkinson and Marsh-Hughes almost pinched the ball off the keeper before the half was out but the Blues would head into the changing room 1-0 up at the break but, in truth, it could have been more such was their dominance.

Half time: Chester 1 FC Halifax Town 0

Chester had the first sight of goal in the second half as they looked to create some daylight, with Marsh-Hughes firing over from 20 yards after a swift break from the middle of the park.

But Chester would have the two-goal cushion they craved on the hour mark when Marsh-Hughes was felled in the box by a rash tackle from Jay Benn, with referee Richard Gardner showing little hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Noble stepped up confidently and fired home from the spot to the delight of the vocal travelling contingent of over 300 Chester fans.

A minute later Halifax thought they had pulled one back immediately when they bundled the ball home from a corner thanks to Sam Clayton, but the linesman flagged for a foul on Chester keeper Ben Gale and the effort was chalked off, much to the anger of the small band of travelling Halifax fans.

Murray went close shortly after when he saw an effort well saved by Atkinson and Noble glanced a header just wide as the Blues looked to see out the game against a Halifax side who were starting to make inroads and ask questions of Chester in the final third.

Marsh-Hughes went close again with eight minutes left as he flashed an effort just wide as Chester went in search of the knockout blow.

And it arrived in injury time as the superb Murray found the far corner from the edge of the box to spark jubilant scenes on the touchline and a chorus of 'stand up if you love Chester' from the stands. We have missed moments like this.

Chester FC - national champions!

Match facts

Chester: Gale, Thomson, D Jones, Wallis, Dobson, Downes, Hellawell, Noble, Marsh-Hughes, Murray, Hayes (Hardman 90). Subs not used: Crilly, Cottrell, S Jones, Kendrick.

Bookings: None.

Goals: Marsh-Hughes 15, Noble 60 (pen), Murray 90+2.

Halifax: Atkinson, Benn, Glover (Abioyo 79), Knight, Clayton, Moloney, Swales, Healey, Sunderland (Adiele 86), Besic, Cham (Anku 54). Subs not used: Rushworth, O'Regan.

Bookings: Glover.

Goals: None.

Referee: Richard Gardner.

Attendance: 415.

Star man: Iwan Murray (Chester).