NLN REPORT | Chester 2-1 Curzon Ashton

Chester bounced back with an impressive performance and hard fought victory over Curzon Ashton tonight.

Danny Elliott opened the scoring in the first half, but Dominic Knowles levelled the scoring midway through the second. It was left to the skipper George Glendon to score the winner with seven minutes to go.

After Saturday’s defeat to Marine in the FA Cup, it was imperative the Blues bounced back and produced a fast response – they did that with an excellent first 45 minutes in particular.

A quick corner routine on six minutes presented Blues top scorer Elliott with a chance to shoot on the edge, but he curled an effort wide of the far post.

Elliott was at the heart of the action early on and, moments after he saw a penalty appeal waved away, he was denied by a strong stop from Cameron Mason from a volley – after John Johnston’s initial looping header following a corner had been cleared away from the line.

It was Johnston’s turn to look to open the scoring as the half hour mark approached. First he connected with a deep cross from Joel Taylor but couldn’t keep his effort down. Moments later the winger charged at the full back and drove into the box before dragging an effort across goal and agonisingly wide of the post.

Nevertheless, Chester did cap off an impressive spell with a goal. Elliott pushed the ball beyond the defence and made no mistake inside the area, smashing the ball beyond Mason and into the net via the inside of the post.

Their dominance continued into the second half, but again failed to convert their excellent play into goals.

Superb build up presented Brad Jackson with an opportunity inside the box on 52 minutes. His effort looped up off a Curzon defender and was pushed away by Mason – before Waring’s spin and shot on the follow up was cleared off the line by Douglas Tharme.

Johnston then had an effort deflected wide after good work initially from Elliott – before Curzon had their best spell of the game just past the hour mark.

First, sub Connor Hughes found the run of Darren Stephenson who fired wide inside the box – before the visitors got themselves level on 68 minutes.

The home side felt aggrieved as Taylor appeared to be down with a head injury as play continued. This resulted in Matty Waters’ cross from the left finding Knowles, who spun beyond Danny Livesey and drove home his fifth of the campaign.

Chester didn’t let this set them back though and went back on the offensive. Somehow sub Matty Hughes was denied when he was free inside the six yard box, his effort crashing against the post, before rebounding off Paul Turnbull and trickling inches wide.

The winning goal would come from the Captain though on 83 minutes. Johnston picked him out in space 25 yards from goal with a good pass, enabling Glendon to smash a beauty into the net beyond Mason, cap off a Man of the Match display and win the game for the Blues.

CHESTER: Gray, K Roberts, Livesey, Grand, Taylor, Johnston (Bauress 90), Glendon, Weeks, Jackson, Waring (Hughes 73), Elliott (Dudley 88).

SUBS NOT USED: Morgan, G Roberts.

SCORERS: Elliott 37, Glendon 83; Knowles 68.