REPORT | Chester 0-2 Spennymoor Town

    A goal in each half saw Spennymoor Town beat the Blues this evening at the Deva Stadium.

    Rob Ramshaw’s sixth minute effort put the visitors ahead before Jordan Thewlis added a second ten minutes into the second half.

    The Blues made three changes from the side that lost late on against Hereford at the weekend, with Simon Grand, Darren Stephenson and George Waring coming in for Marcus Dackers, David Okagbue and Anthony Dudley.

    Chester forged an early chance as Rob Apter cut the ball back for Waring, the Blues big target man spun and shot low but Joseph Tait did well to make the block.

    It was the visitors who struck the opening blow though as Thewlis slipped through Ramshaw who slid the ball beyond Stanway and into the back of the net.

    The Blues had a good chance for an equaliser as Apter’s cross picked out an unmarked Stephenson, but his header didn’t have enough power to trouble Jordan Amissah in the goal.

    Chester’s next chance came again through Apter, as Spennymoor failed to clear his corner and it eventually dropped for Harrison Burke, but he couldn’t find the target.

    Spennymoor were handed a golden opportunity to double their lead before half time as referee Ben Wyatt awarded a generous penalty for a foul on Thewlis. Centre forward Glen Taylor stepped up to take but was denied by Stanway, diving away to his left to push the ball away.

    Chester almost made the perfect start to the second half as Apter exchanged a one-two with Waring before his curling shot struck the inside of the post before flashing across the face of goal and being cleared away.

    Once again the Blues came unstuck though as Thewlis broke clear of the defence and finished beyond Stanway.

    Spennymoor looked dangerous on the counter-attack and almost added a third as Ramshaw broke away but Roberts was back well to clear the ball for a corner.

    As Chester pushed for a way back into the game Ramshaw continued to look dangerous and he got in again, only to be denied by Stanway this time.

    Chester continued to look for a way back into the game and as the clock ticked into the 90th minute Matty Williams fired an effort from the edge of the area over the crossbar, but in the end it wasn’t enough for the Blues as Spennymoor ran out winners.

    CHESTER: Stanway, Roberts, Grand, Weeks, Fitzpatrick, Waring (Dackers 68), Stephenson, Burke, Apter, Williams, Roache (Simmonds 58).

    SUBS NOT USED: Gray, Heywood, Okagbue.

    SCORERS: Ramshaw 6, Thewlis 55.

    ATTENDANCE: 1,610.