Unbeaten home run halted by Chester
Boro's impressive 26-match unbeaten home run stretching back a year, was ended as away specialists Chester took control in the second half to record an impressive 3-1 win in front of a bumper crowd at the Flamingo Lane Stadium.
Will Thornton and Michael Coulson were back in the hosts’ starting line-up after recent injuries.
Boro started brightly, as a Luca Colville cross was met by Ash Jackson, but his goalbound shot struck teammate Coulson, and visiting keeper Harry Tyrer dealt with a couple of long throws into his box by Jackson.
Then a Lewis Maloney free-kick was punched clear by Tyrer, and the ball dropped to Kieran Burton, who volleyed just wide.
Boro keeper Joe Cracknell dived to save a low shot from Kole Hall, and Hall then flicked the ball over his head, before firing just wide.
Kurt Willoughby also volleyed wide, then Boro had a half-chance when a long kick up field by Cracknell fell to Jackson on the edge of the area, but he screwed his shot wide.
The best chance of the first half came on 38 minutes, when a corner on the right from Chester skipper Dec Weeks was met by Matty Williams, who powered his header inches over.
The visitors went ahead five minutes into the second half, when a low left
wing corner from Williams, found Kole Hall who placed his shot inside the near post, and soon after, Bailey Gooda did well to block a Williams header, then a 20-yard strike from Weeks was saved by Cracknell.
The lead was doubled when a Boro attack broke down, and Chester surged forward on the break, with Willoughby on the left, passing inside to Shrewsbury Town loanee Charlie Caton, who calmly shot past oncoming Boro keeper Cracknell.
Caton set up a chance for Willoughby, who shot into
the side-netting, then Caton fired wide from 25-yards, before Boro pulled a goal back, when Kieran Weledji won possession on the right, passed inside to Kieran Glynn, who back-heeled into the path of Ryan Watson, to blast into the roof of the net from inside the area, to register his first goal of the season.
Glynn and Thornton both made timely interceptions to cut out through-balls as Chester looked dangerous whenever they went forward, and they added a killer third goal late on, again on the counter-attack, as Weeks
squared to Kurt Willoughby, who slotted home his 17th goal of the season.
Star players for Boro were Burton, who shackled danger man Willoughby for most of the game, Thornton who was strong at the back and midfield maestros Glynn and Maloney, but the visiting back-line was solid, and visiting keeper Tyrer didn't have a save to make throughout the game.
BORO- Cracknell, Watson, Jackson (Plant70), Burton, Thornton, Gooda, Tear (Weledji 62), Maloney, Coulson, Glynn, Colville (McGuckin
56)
CHESTER- Tyrer, Morgan, Weeks, Roberts, Williams, Murray (Devine 77), Heywood, Caton, Willoughby (Thomas 87), Hall, Edwards
REFEREE- Dane McCarrick
GOALS - BORO- Ryan Watson 68
CHESTER- Kole Hall 50, Charlie Caton 61, Kurt Willoughby 87
YELLOW CARDS- BOROAsh Jackson, Will Thornton
BORO MAN OF MATCHKieran Burton
ATTEBDANCE- 1,905 (261 away)