Chester had a disappointing start to the season when they went down 4-3 at home to Newcastle although, to be fair, the game was not as close and the result might suggest. It was a fairly even opening with neither side able to make any clear-cut chances. Newcastle made the breakthrough after 33 minutes when the ball was moved down the left and played inside to Niza Chilfuya and he scored with a fine strike across the goal. Newcastle doubled their lead four minutes later when the
ball was played down the right and passed inside to Ryan Redford who moved into the area to hit another fine strike into the far corner. Newcastle quickly gained possession after the restart and they made a quick beak down the left for James Coates to cut inside and fire in a shot which Christopher
managed to block and Daniel Hepplewhite hooked the ball clear for a corner. Chester should have reduced the deficit after 43 minutes when Joshua Akal received the ball inside the area and he turned well to fire in a shot which brought a good save from the keeper, Daniel Delanski. Newcastle launched an attack straight from the kick-off in the second half and the ball was played to the unmarked Niza Chilufya on the edge of the area. He fired in a shot which was deflected off target for a corner. After 53 minutes, the ball was moved down the right to Chilufya but his fine strike brought a good save from Rookes. Newcastle extended their lead after 56 minutes when a ball through the middle found Chilufya in space and he made no mistake with his low shot into the corner of the net. Chester responded immediately when Liam Dixon powered in a headed from a corner. On the hour mark, Chester moved the ball down the right and passed inside to Akal but he fired well over the bar
from a good position. Newcastle extended their lead after 70 minutes when a quick free kick was played down the right and driven low into the area for James Coates to fire into the corner of the net.
Chester reduced the deficit after 77 minutes when the ball was played to Matthew Ward inside the area and he turned well to hit a fine strike into the net. Chester pressed hard to try and salvage something from the match. But the game was into stoppage time when we managed to score a third goal. Rookes launched a long clearance which found Akal and he fired into the net with the referee
blowing his final whistle.