CHESTER shipped 10 points in the final five minutes on Saturday to hand their old rivals an unlikely share of the North Two West spoils.

Matt Sheen’s late try saw the hosts move into a 10-point lead but they were pegged back during a frantic closing period that saw New Brighton score a converted try and kick a penalty.

To add to the drama, Chester then had a ‘try’ disallowed.

Home coach Rob Foden found it hard to comprehend how his side missed out on a second successive victory.

He said: ‘The team is stuttering at the moment, but with a bit more fine tuning we will not allow ourselves to throw away a winning position again. The players need to concentrate for the full 80 minutes and realise that no game is won until the final whistle.’

Chester opened brightly and were soon in the lead when Simon Abiero sprinted under the posts after fine work from the pack. Tom Foden kicked the conversion.

The hosts continued to play the more enterprising rugby, but New Brighton kept to their game plan and kept the ball close to the forwards. The next score was not until the 30th minute when New Brighton were awarded a penalty as Chester were caught offside.

Chester immediately responded as a New Brighton attack broke down and Foden fed Tom Donovan, who was stopped short of the line.

The ball was slipped to winger Simon Love, who gleefully dived between the posts, once again making Foden’s conversion easy.

Chester went into the half-time break 14-3 ahead, but within six minutes of the restart New Brighton had kicked two penalties to reduce the deficit to five points.

Although Love’s converted try made it 21-9, New Brighton clawed their way back into the contest by scoring a converted try in the corner.

Sheen’s late try made it 26-16 – but there was still enough time for the visitors to fight back and draw level.

Chester coach Foden is hoping his side will have learned from their mistakes in time for tomorrow’s trip to Rochdale.