REPORT | Chester 0-4 Marske United
Chester FC suffered a hugely disappointing home defeat to Marske United in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round Replay.
An Adam Boyes brace, his ninteenth and twentieth of the season, as well as goals from McKenzie Dicicco and Dale Hopson, lead to an emphatic victory despite the visitors being reduced to ten men for almost the final twenty minutes.
Chester made two changes from the side that drew 0-0 at Marske on Saturday as Kevin Roberts and Lloyd Marsh-Hughes both came into the starting line-up replacing James Horsfield and George Waring.
The visitors looked comfortable in possession and forced Louis Gray into a save from a deflected effort from the edge of the penalty area before taking the lead from a rushed clearance.
Dale Hopson collected the ball and beat two Chester defenders before his cross was pushed away by Gray, straight to Adam Boyes, who composed himself and poked home to give Marske the advantage with his ninteenth goal of the season and his ninth in the FA Cup.
Chester had a great opportunity to equalise in the twenty-fifth minute as they broke forward and Declan Weeks’ cross picked out Lloyd Marsh-Hughes but Ryan Catterick pulled out a wonderful one hand save to deny him.
The Blues were being made to work hard for every chance they created and when Anthony Dudley won possession and earned a free kick it was a chance to get men into the penalty area, as a result, Declan Weeks’ free kick was met by Danny Livesey but he couldn’t direct his header on target.
Chester continued to press and Josh Askew burst forward from the left side, cutting in on his right foot before firing goalward but Ryan Catterick was able to make a comfortable save.
Marsh-Hughes again tested Catterick on the stroke of half time as he bustled forward to win the ball on the edge of the Marske penalty area before firing high, with Catterick again equal to it to keep Marske ahead at the break.
The pressure continued for Chester from the start of the second half with George Glendon forcing Catterick into another save. Marske responded quickly though with a long throw breaking to Glen Butterworth, but his shot on the half-volley was over the crossbar.
Marske were able to double their advantage six minutes into the second half as Chester’s defending again left plenty to be desired. A ball forward wasn’t dealt with by Dan Cowan and Marske won the ball, Dicicco’s first effort was blocked by Roberts before Dicicco was quickest to react to turn the ball into an unguarded net.
Chester changed it up, bringing George Waring on for an added aerial threat, and the Blues’ forward was on the end of a Weeks cross, heading it down to Dudley but his effort was off target.
With just under twenty minutes remaining Marske were reduced to ten men as Liam O’Sullivan was shown a second yellow card after taking too long to take a throw-in.
The Blues continued to look for a way back into the game and forced another save from Catterick as Danny Livesey flicked a cross goalwards, but the Marske ‘keeper made the save.
Marske capped a remarkable victory with a third with four minutes remaining as Dale Hopson found space cutting in from the left wing and slotting into the far corner.
Substitute Jude Oyibo almost pulled one back for Chester as he showed some smart feet to beat two defenders before being denied by Catterick. Glendon also had a shot from the edge of the penalty area that went narrowly wide, but the night belonged to Marske.
Deep into stoppage time Marske again took advantage of some slack defending as Horsfield was dispossessed on the halfway line and Boyes ran in for his twentieth goal of the season and his tenth in the FA Cup.
CHESTER: Gray, Roberts (Horsfield 80), Weeks, Livesey, Cowan, Hardy (Waring 57), Glendon (c), Dudley, Lacey (Oyibo 68), Marsh-Hughes, Askew.
SUBS NOT USED: Grand, Clark, Williams, Lowe.
SCORERS: Marske: Boyes (13, 90+4), Dicicco (51), Hopson (86).
ATTENDANCE: 1,138.
MATCH REPORT BY CHRIS GRAHAM.