Blues Match Report: Brackley Town 0 - 1 Chester FC

A late Connor Woods penalty earned all three points for Chester FC after a competitive contest against Brackley Town, who ended the game with nine men.

The Blues dominated the opening period at St James Park but lacked the final touch, with Harrison Rhone, the home shot-stopper, keeping his side in the game on numerous occasions.

Former Brackley player Dominic McHale was the first to test Rhone. Some positive work from Noah Bell, who made his first start for the Blues, set up our number 10 but his effort was palmed to safety.

Jefferson Abreu was a livewire in Nottinghamshire throughout as he played a huge part in the Blues’ two biggest opportunities of the first half.

Firstly, his low shot found the feet of Rhone before he turned creator when he clipped a cross to the back post, but Bell headed narrowly over the bar.

The second half started in chaotic fashion, with a dangerous cross from Charlie Cooper that was recovered by Sam Reed, who travelled from box to box, but his curling effort whistled narrowly wide.

Phil Parkinson’s side struggled to maintain their first-half control as the hosts forced Luke Hewitson into action for the first time of the afternoon, his flying stop denied O’Shea Ellis’ powerful effort at the near post.

His next action was to receive a red card as referee Darren Rogers gave the forward his second yellow of the afternoon for a late challenge on Nathan Woodthorpe.

Abreu continued to be the biggest threat to the Brackley backline in the final minutes of the game as countless crosses just evaded a Chester finish.

As the Blues continued to threaten the home goal, one of the biggest opportunities of the afternoon fell to substitute Tom Peers, as our number seven flicked the ball agonisingly wide of the mark.

Parkinson’s men were rewarded for their prolonged pressure as the referee pointed to the penalty spot when George Burroughs was bundled down in the area.

Woods took advantage and calmly rolled the ball past Rhone into the bottom left corner to give the Blues a deserved lead.

The hosts’ misery was compounded seconds later as Ewan Williams left the referee with no option but to send him off for a reckless challenge on Sam Foley.

A combination of brave headers from Burroughs and Isaac Burgess got the Blues over the line for our first win in the league at St James Park since 2012.

Match Report by Harry Bennett.

Starting XI: Hewitson, Burroughs, Woodthorpe, Weeks, McHale, Burgess, Foley, Abreu, Bell, Moore, Reed.

Substitutes: Brown, Peers, Ward, Woods, Lomax, Boggan, Jones-Mellor

Scorers: Woods 88′

You can watch the post-match interview with Blues Boss Phil Parkinson here...