Match Report: Radcliffe 0-3 Chester
Calum McIntyre’s men made it six wins on the bounce and consolidated top spot in the National League North with a dominant display at Radcliffe.
Tom Peers bagged a brace and Declan Weeks rifled a low effort from distance into the bottom corner to claim all three points on a cold night in Greater Manchester.
Iwan Murray had the first sight of goal of the evening when he made use of good work from Tom Peers to find space but Murray’s low effort was pushed to safety by Mateusz Hewelt.
The hosts hit back with a pair of chances in quick succession though, as Josh Hancock flicked a header wide before Tom Walker’s strike was palmed wide by shot-stopper Jimmy Storer.
Radcliffe’s number 17 had a golden chance just minutes later after great work from captain Jordan Hulme inside the Seals’ box, but Walker’s miscued effort flew well wide of the post.
It was a scrappy contest at the Neuven Stadium, as neither side could grab the initiative or force the other into a serious error.
Fin Roberts had a debut to remember on Saturday in the 4-2 victory over Scarborough Athletic but his first major involvement saw his 25-yard free kick fly over the wood work.
The Yellows took a narrow lead into the interval though, just moments after fourth official Andy Sykes had announced that there was one minute of stoppage time at the end of the first 45.
It was a dangerous corner from Declan Weeks that unlocked the home defence, as his flighted delivery was headed into the bottom corner by Tom Peers in clinical fashion, the 29-year-old’s 10th league goal of the campaign.
After a tight first period that was defined by a late moment of quality from the Seals, Calum McIntyre’s men searched for a second goal in immediate fashion, and thought they had found it on the hour mark.
Dan Mooney replaced F. Roberts and had an instant impact with a ball into Peers who managed to slide a low finish past Hewelt into the bottom corner.
However, the linesman deemed our number seven to have been played through in an offside position and the goal was chalked off.
The reprieve didn’t last long though, as Declan Weeks added to his assist with a superb drilled effort that evaded the hands of Hewelt to nestle in the back off the home net.
It’s two in two games for the number four, who has been in fine form in our nine-game unbeaten run.
The Seals had settled in a brilliant flow after the break, and the scoreline looked even better soon after, as the Seals made it three in the 68th minute.
This time it was Peers once again who beat Hewelt at his near post after more creative work from the right foot of Weeks found Kev Roberts whose drilled cross caused havoc in the Radcliffe box.
Peers was there to power the ball past the outstretched hands of the shot-stopper to make it 3-0 and put the Seals in an ideal position to make it six wins on the spin.
Storer was called into his first action of the second half with less than 15 minutes left on the clock, as he got down well to deny Luca Navarro’s low strike.
It was a comfortable end to the contest for the Seals, who remained solid throughout and once again dazzled with some exceptional attacking play.
It is Chester first six-game streak of league victories since 2013, and the Blues have another away trip scheduled on Saturday as we travel to Peterborough Sports in search of a 7th win on the bounce and a 10th game unbeaten.
Match Report by Tom Bird.
CHESTER FC: Storer, K. Roberts, Burke, Rawlinson, Woodthorpe, Weeks, Bainbridge, Murray (Burgess 89′), Woods, F. Roberts (Mooney 58′), Peers.
Subs not used: Hunter, Willoughby, Pollock.
Scorers: Peers 45+1′, Weeks 63′, Peers 67′.
Attendance: 1,589