PROMOTION-CHASING Chester maintained their charge up the Northern Counties Division One table on Saturday with a 12-0 home win over Southport.
Chester entertained the Seasiders knowing only a win would keep them in contention and were under instructions to try to win by a large margin to improve their goal difference.
Adam Elliot opened the scoring early with the first of his double. Man-of-the-match Pete Evans got three with captain Stuart Field and Barry Murphy each scoring two and Matt Hyden, Chris Bowles and Matt Thombs all adding to the score.
The result lifted Chester into second spot with two games to go and they have a significantly better goal difference than top side Deeside Ramblers. They need two more victories to guarantee promotion but have a tough assignment tomorrow - away to the Ramblers!
Chester's men's fourth team went to Crewe Vagrants Thirds and won an incredible game 4-3. They went 3-0 down inside the first 10 minutes but goals from Hall, Nicholas and Bills levelled things up before Ible licked home a late winner. n Chester Ladies remain bottom of the National North Division after losing 3-0 at home to Aldridge on Saturday.
Their second team fell 4-1 to Whitchurch. Claire Gledhill did give the visitors the lead but they failed to capitalise on further chances and Whitchurch scored from their only two chances they created in the first half to make it 2-1.
In the second half Whitchurch scored another two goals to kill off the contest.
* Chester Veterans saw off Canterbury 1-0 in the quarter-finals of the National Vets Cup. Their goal came after Padmore seized an opportunity to control an awkward pass and laid it back to Ible, who thundered it into the goal.
* Chester Hockey Club has offered its condolences to the family of Steve Evans, who died recently. Steve was a club stal
wart for more than 30 years and was a member of the organising committee of the annual Whit-sun Hockey Festival. He will be greatly missed and the club's thoughts are with his family.
