Chester 1-0 Brackley Town Tuesday 5th Dec 2023

This was a frustrating night for the visitors, going down to a debatable 44th minute penalty and unable to convert any of a multitude of second-half chances, finding keeper Wyll Stanway in fine form and Saints’ finishing lacking the clinical touch.

The game saw eight yellow cards, including two for Danny Newton who was sent off late on.

In the 44th minute Gaz Dean was harshly adjudged to have tripped a Chester player in the box, conceding the penalty in rare goalmouth action in an even and tight first half, Chester captain George Glendon converting.

The second period began with a flurry of chances for the Saints, Newton foiled three times, Riccardo Calder’s effort deflected wide, debutant Jake Jervis’ effort just too high and Chester were saved by several goalmouth scrambles.

In the closing stages, Shep Murombedzi’s shot brought a save at full stretch from Stanway and Tyler Lyttle’s goal bound free-kick was punched away for one of a series of corner kicks.

“We were dominant but have to convert our chances,” Gavin Cowan said. “We were in their half for the whole of the second half but we don’t convert and we have to be accountable for that. We’ve had gilt-edged chances. The players played so well other than sticking it in the net. It is painful to come away losing, especially when their goal was so poor.”

Brackley Town: Lewis; Lilly (Love 86), Gudger, Dean; Calder, Carline (Lyttle 5), Murombedzi, Jervis (McHale 76), O’Sullivan; Roberts, Newton. Subs unused: Bates, Armson.

Chester: Stanway, Weeks, Burke, Williams, Glendon, Caton, Whitehouse, Norton (Taylor 63), Coates, Roberts, Edwards. Subs unused: Windsor, Sparrow, Daly, Murray.

Referee: Lee Hible Assistants: Kieran Chell and Thomas Harland
Attendance: 1922