Match Report: Peterborough Sports 0-1 Chester

The Seals extended their lead at the top of the National League North to four points with a hard-fought victory away to Peterborough Sports.

The Turbines’ Max Booth was the first player to test either goalkeeper after a cagey opening ten minutes in Cambridgeshire. The winger’s left footed strike from a tight angle was destined for the bottom corner, but Jimmy Storer got down quickly to push the effort away from danger while at full stretch.

The game then started to open up with Michael Gyasi also finding some joy down the left-flank, but the hosts’ top scorer could only blast an effort into the side netting.

Seconds later, Tom Peers had our first effort of the afternoon after being found inside the box from a neat pass by the returning Jordan Hunter. Peers swivelled and struck with conviction, but goalkeeper Peter Crook was equal to the shot and reacted sharply to push the ball over the crossbar and out for a corner.

Luke Steele and Michael Gash’s team began to regress further inside their own half with the Seals pushing for the opener. Iwan Murray tried his luck from distance on a couple of occasions, but both shots were straight down the throat of Crook.

Just shy of the half hour mark, Fin Roberts broke the deadlock as he finished a flowing move. Tom Peers managed to time his run perfectly to evade the offside trap – which saw him break clear down the right-hand flank. Our number seven drew in the attention of player/manager Michael Gash, whose desperate attempt to intervene vacated tons of space for Roberts in the box. Peers poked the ball into the Crewe Alexandra loanee’s path and the teenager smashed a finish in from five yards out.

Just before the interval, the hosts incessantly pushed for parity. Booth missed a gilt-edged oppourtity as he miscued an effort wide before Kaine Felix saw a shot denied by the feet of Storer.

Skipper Connell Rawlison then relied on his instincts to scamper back to his own goalline to nod clear following a corner.

On the stroke of half-time, Roberts came close to doubling his tally for the afternoon. Peers slipped in his strike partner with an incisive pass, but with Crook closing down the angle, Roberts opted to attempt a chip which flew over the crossbar.

The hosts commenced the second period with impetus as they searched for an equaliser.

Captain Ryan Fryatt saw a speculative and improvised effort loop over the crossbar. The central defender hooked the ball over his head which looked destined to hit the back of net until Connor Woods bravely cleared the ball off the line.

The Turbines skipper was heavily involved in action at both ends as shortly after he performed a heroic block of his own. Woods looked like he had the simple task of tapping into an empty net, but Fryatt had other ideas as he threw himself at the shot.

The closing stages saw Storer’s penalty area under siege.. The Wolves loanee could only palm a corner out to Booth, whose resulting shot struck one of the countless blue shirts that had dived in to block the effort.

The Blues held on triumph 1-0 at PIMS Park, their seventh successive victory and fourth clean sheet out of the last five games. Another away trip awaits them next weekend, as they travel to South Shields.

Match Report by Jude Deedigan

CHESTER FC: Storer, Hunter, Burke, Rawlinson, Woodthorpe, K.Roberts, Bainbridge, Murray, Woods (Pollock 80′), F. Roberts (Willoughby 58′), Peers

Subs not used: Weeks, Burgess, Mooney

Scorers: F. Roberts 26′

Attendance: 476