REPORT | FC Halifax 4-0 Chester

Chester succumbed to a bitterly disappointing four-goal thumping at FC Halifax this afternoon – in the Blues last game before Christmas.

All the goals fell in a nightmare first half – with Tom Denton, Scott McManus, Danny Clarke and Josh MacDonald on target for the Shaymen.

It took just six minutes for the scoring to get underway – Denton heading home at the back post; just moments after Reece Hall-Johnson had brilliantly cleared an effort off the line.

Marcus Bignot’s side had arguably their best spell of the game after falling behind. Lucas Dawson’s free kick was glanced inches wide of his own post by Denton – before Hall-Johnson and Dawson were both excellently denied by Sam Johnson in quick succession from the resulting corner.

But the second goal really knocked the stuffing of the Blues players – as Scott McManus smashed the ball into the top corner just before the half hour mark.

It was three on 33 minutes – MacDonald brilliantly stood up a cross into the area and Clarke was on hand to delightfully glance a header into the far corner.

Halifax made it four – and three goals in ten minutes – not long after with a devastating counter attack. Chester threw men forward for the cause and were caught short at the back – MacDonald slotting home his first ever league goal for the hosts.

Marcus Bignot brought on Harry White and Craig Mahon at the break – both back from injury lay-offs – and it almost had a desired effect; White heading Mahon’s cross just wide of the far post.

MacDonald then nearly bagged his second of the game – but Jordan Gough was back to block brilliantly. Then straight at the other end – James Akintunde skillfully danced into the box and teed up White – but his effort was stopped one-handed by Johnson.

Academy Graduate James Jones flashed a header across the face of goal and off target from a corner late on – and the hosts saw out the remaining minutes for a clean sheet and ensure a disastrous final away game of 2017 for the Blues.