REPORT | Chester 5-0 Southport

Chester put in a five-star display to beat Southport at the Deva Stadium this afternoon.

Southport struggled to create clear-cut chances throughout the ninety minutes as Harrison Burke’s stunning maiden senior goal put the Blues ahead after half an hour.

Second half strikes from Marcus Dackers, Darren Stephenson, Declan Weeks and Rob Apter in the space of twenty-five minutes capped a stunning showing from the hosts.

The Blues made one change from the side that were cruelly denied all three points against Brackley, with Burke making his first league start for the club, replacing James Horsfield.

Chester started the game brightly, with Apter doing well before linking up with Weeks, the Blues’ midfielder then picked out Stephenson but his effort was deflected behind.

Rowan Roache was next to create for the hosts as his cross was headed out to Apter, but his volley was saved by Cameron Mason in the Southport goal.

The chances kept coming for Chester as first Roberts’ cross found Stephenson but he couldn’t sort his feet out and fired wide before Weeks tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area but Mason made the save.

Chester were dominating the game and Weeks again went close as Burke picked him out and he fired low but Mason was down well to make the save.

It didn’t take long before the Blues found the breakthrough though and what a way to do it, the ball broke to the edge of the penalty area and Burke unleashed a fierce half-volley with his weaker left foot that flew beyond Mason in the Southport goal.

Chester started the second half in the perfect manner as they doubled their advantage just six minutes in as Roache’s ball into the penalty area found Dackers who headed home his first for the club.

Two quickly became three as Weeks’ through ball picked out Stephenson and the Blues’ forward rolled it under the onrushing ‘keeper.

The Blues were dominant as Burke turned provider with a superb pass into Weeks who finished superbly, whipping the ball into the far corner for the fourth.

Chester continued to search for goals and Mason had to be alert to save from an Apter shot inside the penalty area before doing brilliantly to tip over a Weeks strike from range. The scoring wasn’t done yet as Dackers picked out Apter who got his goal – he finished beyond Mason for Chester’s fifth.

There was still time for the Seals to look for a sixth, with first Roberts finding Stephenson in space but the Blues’ forward fired just wide of the post then Burke going close as he held the ball up well before turning and firing over the crossbar.

In the end though it was a dominant performance from the Blues, who were well worthy of such a comfortable margin of victory.

CHESTER: Stanway, Roberts, Grand, Weeks, Fitzpatrick, Stephenson, Burke, Apter, Williams, Dackers, Roache.

SUBS NOT USED: Gray, Waring, Horsfield, Simmonds, Okagbue.

SCORERS: Chester: Burke 31, Dackers 51, Stephenson 55, Weeks 70, Apter 76.

ATTENDANCE: 1,984.