Blues Match Report: Macclesfield 2 - 1 Chester

Chester FC's 2025/26 campaign came to an end with defeat at Macclesfield on Wednesday evening.

The hosts started brightly in East Cheshire and managed to test Bobby Jones within the opening five minutes as the Blues’ number one poked his leg out to deny Luke Duffy’s low strike.

James Edmondson was next to try and break the deadlock for John Rooney’s men as he latched onto a well-directed cross, but his header dropped narrowly wide of the post.

Connor Woods had the visitors’ first effort towards Rogan Ravenhill’s goal but his strike flew over following positive work from Nathan Woodthorpe down the left flank.

Our number 17’s endeavour from right wing-back paid off just after the half-hour mark though, finding an opener with an exceptional run and finish.

A fantastic cross-field ball from Tom Davies found the head of Dylan Mottley-Henry who flicked a superb header into the path of Woods on the right-hand side.

The latter then beat Cameron Borthwick-Jackson inside the 18-yard box and fired a low finish that slid under Ravenhill.

The final opportunity before the interval fell to Duffy but his effort landed in the palms of Jones from close-range.

A prolonged period of pressure from the home side early in the second period culminated in an equaliser for the Silkmen in the 65th minute through Josh Kay, who tapped in from a low cross into the six-yard box.

Macclesfield had the majority of the ball through the second period and went close from long-range on two occasions, firstly through Borthwick-Jackson whose strike came crashing back off the crossbar, before Paul Dawson’s effort drifted narrowly over.

Connell Rawlinson’s men went close as the clock ticked over the 90-minute mark through substitute Fin Roberts, who fired over from an acute angle.

The winner arrived for the hosts in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time when Duffy’s corner flew into the net.

Chester FC: Jones, Woodthorpe, Weeks, T. Davies, Mottley-Henry, Kelly, Shrimpton, Leigh, Woods, S. Burgess, Croker

Subs not used: B. Davies, Kelly-Evans, Leak, Peers, Rosenblatt, White, Roberts

Scorers: Woods 36′, Kay 65′, Duffy 90+8′

You can watch the post-match interview with Connell Rawlinson here...