BLUES MATCH REPORT: GLOUCESTER CITY 1 - 6 CHESTER FC

It was a fantastic afternoon in Gloucestershire as Chester FC put six past Gloucester, with Harrison Burke grabbing a brace during his 100th appearance for the club.

After a slow start to the game at the TigerTurf Stadium, the Seals began to dominate after quarter of an hour, with Christian Norton coming close to opening the scoring after latching on to a rebound from a low Harrison Burke strike.

Ollie Heywood then curled an effort from just outside the box which beat Jake Dennis but unfortunately smashed the bottom of the post.

Parity didn’t last long though for Gloucester, as Harrison Burke put the Seals ahead in the 24th minute.

A great delivery from Declan Weeks caused panic in the Gloucester box and the ball eventually fell to Burke who headed past Dennis.

Chester looked fairly comfortable after the goal and Tom Peers doubled our advantage just eight minutes later with a deflected finish past Dennis.

Harlain Mbayo gifted the ball to Iwan Murray in the final third before he gave it to Norton on the edge of the area.

Peers’ shot flicked off a defender past Dennis and put the Seals in a dominant position going into half time.

Burke almost got his second of the match moments later when he latched on to another Weeks corner but this time his header flew just over the bar.

Shelby Elson dished out cards to Weeks, Wyll Stanway and Matty Williams as the interval drew close, but Gloucester didn’t particularly threaten Stanway’s goal.

Gloucester pulled one back early in the second half through a brilliant strike from Owen Brain who gave Stanway no chance by smashing into the top corner.

It didn’t take the Seals long to restore the two goal cushion though, when George Glendon finished after impressive work from Murray.

Tom Peers flicked on a long ball which Murray chased and got to it just before the byline.

He played the ball across the six-yard box and our captain had the simplest of tasks to finish past Dennis.

Just four minutes later Murray was influential again and won a penalty after being taken out in the area.

Adam Thomas was brought on for Norton just before the decision was given and he confidently dispatched the spot kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way.

Calum McIntyre’s men were full of confidence and the attacking play was flowing, with the Tigers defence being torn apart by some excellent forward play.

Burke was brilliant in his landmark game and he doubled his goal tally for the day in the 77th minute with another header from a brilliantly delivered corner. 

Ben Tollitt added a sixth in the 96th minute as he finished from an acute angle past Dennis who had a tough afternoon in net for the home side.

A fantastic performance moved the Seals up to eighth with just two games to go, starting with Brackley Town away next Saturday.

Match Report by Tom Bird.

Chester: Stanway, Burke, Williams, Burton, Heywood, Roberts (Daly 79′), Weeks, Glendon, Murray (Tollitt 90′), Norton (Thomas 61′), Peers.

Subs Not Used: Woodthorpe, Taylor.

Scorers: Burke (x2), Peers, Glendon, Thomas, Tollitt

Attendance: 877

You can listen to the post-match interview, with Blues Boss Calum McIntyre, here...