Match Report - Chester FC 1 - 0 Farsley Celtic

Chester FC secured three points in a scrappy affair with Farsley Celtic this afternoon at the Deva Stadium.

The only goal of the game came through Matty Williams’ 21st minute effort, heading home a Simon Grand put-back from a short corner.

Chester made four changes from the side that lost to Fylde on Monday as Wyll Stanway, Simon Grand, Anthony Dudley and Zack Clarke came in to the starting eleven replacing Louis Gray, David Fitzpatrick, Rob Apter and Marcus Dackers.

The hosts started brightly as Clarke won the ball high up the pitch and his cross was turned away to Declan Weeks at the edge of the box, who saw his sweetly struck effort pushed away by David Robson in the Farsley goal.

George Glendon followed that up by looping an effort onto the top of the Farsley goal before Clarke turned and fired just wide. At the other end Farlsey had a long range effort from Frank Mulhern fired straight at Stanway.

The pressure paid off for the Blues midway through the first half as their short corner was played to Grand at the back post, he headed back across goal for Williams to convert past Robson.

Mulhern went close again for Farsley as he whipped a free kick just over the crossbar, though Stanway appeared to have it covered.

Chester almost got in down the left side as Grand picked out Weeks with a ball over the top, the midfielder controlled well but his shot was blocked to keep the score one-nil at half time.

Farsley were pushing for an equaliser in the second half, but found clear-cut chances more difficult to come by. The Blues almost doubled their advantage as some wonderful skill from Okera Simmonds saw him burst to the byline before his cutback struck the chest of Stephenson but Farsley were able to clear it off the line.

With two minutes to go Weeks almost wrapped up the points as his long-range effort had Robson scrambling but went just the wrong side of the post.

There was still time for another Farsley chance, in the last minute of stoppage time the Celt Army got in behind the Chester defence but Stanway stayed big and made a huge save one-on-one to secure the three points.

CHESTER: Stanway, Roberts, Grand, Weeks, Glendon (c), Dudley (Fitzpatrick 68), Stephenson, Sargent (Roache 86), Burke, Williams, Clarke (Simmonds 64).

SUBS NOT USED: Gray, Apter.

SCORERS: Williams 21.

ATTENDANCE: 1,564.