MATCH REPORT | King’s Lynn Town 2-2 Chester

An absolute cracker ended all square at the Walks Stadium this afternoon, as the a strong performance from Chester saw them take a point back to the North West.

Adam Marriott was at the double, with a seven minute salvo sandwiched inbetween by Simon Grand and Akwasi Asante for the yellows in a four-goal thriller.

Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley made three changes from the 3-3 draw with Leamington 14 days ago, with returns from injury for Kevin Roberts and Danny Livesey. Gary Roberts made his first start since recovery too, donning the armband after Scott Burton was forced to miss the game.

King’s Lynn Town, unbeaten at home in over a year, took the lead inside the first seventy seconds. Russ Griffiths’ left footed kick out of his own box was tame and fell straight to Linnets top scorer Adam Marriott, who slotted home.

It was almost two inside the opening ten. A well worked short corner resulted in Rory McAuley heading Michael Clunan’s cross inches wide.

Chester saw a lot of the ball in the opening 45, but couldn’t create a big opportunity. A couple of half chances saw Brad Jackson fire over from the edge, before Danny Livesey nodded straight at Alex Street from George Glendon’s clipped cross.

Marriott was proving a real test for the visiting defence, and could have made it a brace on 29 minutes when he reacted quickest to a bouncing ball inside the area – but the volley was over the crossbar.

But the game was on its head just after the hour mark after a superb double by the visiting side. First, on 56, Matty Hughes rifled a ball across the box after an extended spell of pressure for Simon Grand to find the net.

Then the goal of the game came seven minutes later. Glendon switched a sublime 60 yard pass for the run of Jackson on the right, allowing the winger to fire into the area for the onrushing Asante to sweep home his 12th of the season.

Tired legs were creeping into the encounter, as another break saw Jackson’s shot saved comfortably by Street. From the resulting attack for Ian Culverhouse’s side, a cross from the right was brilliantly chested and fired home by Marriott.

The excellent striker almost had a hat-trick just a minute later as the home side piled forward under the roar of the home crowd, but the 28-year-old fired the wrong side of the post.

Glendon and Joel Taylor both had half chances late on, but in the end a draw was a fair result in an electric encounter in Norfolk.

CHESTER: Griffiths, K Roberts, Livesey, Grand, Taylor, Jackson (Elliott 88), G Roberts, Glendon, Dudley, Hughes (Stopforth 78), Asante (Waring 78).

SUBS NOT USED: Morgan, Jones.

SCORERS: Marriott 2 & 77; Grand 56, Asante 63.

ATTENDANCE: 1,637.