Halifax started with most of the possession in the opening few minutes but it was Chester who had the best chance of the opening exchanges with a free kick near the right hand edge of the 18 yard box in the third minute.  Kevin McIntyre took the kick but it found a Halifax defender well placed to make an easy clearance.

In the fifth minute Sean McAuley made a run down the left for Halifax and played the ball inside to Jake Sagare but his cross sailed clear across the Chester goal area.

Halifax continued to see most of the ball but their forages down the far side were continually thwarted by Collins and McIntyre before useful crosses could be delivered.

Their possession dominance won them a corner in the 12th which was played back to Craig Midgley on the edge of the box, but his shot was weak and easily cleared up-field by the blues.

In the 15th minute Wayne Brown had to come well off his line to collect a cross after good work by McAuley and Sagare again in midfield, but he handled it easily.  With 15 minutes gone it has been a scrappy midfield game so far, Halifax having most of the possession but little action in front of goal

Against the run of play, Chester had the ball in the back of the net on 16 but Heard's final pass through to Rapley was judged to have found Rapley in an offside position.

Halifax broke away immediately and Christian Lee had a good chance but his header sailed way over the bar.  Finally though the game was starting to come to life.

Halifax were awarded a free kick right in front of goal on the half hour mark.  Craig Midgley got the ball around the wall but it was straight at Wayne Brown who scooped it up effortlessly.

Halifax continued to see most of the ball so it was against the run of play that the Blues took the lead in the 33rd minute.  Ben Davies made a run through the middle and in a crowded goal area managed to play a quick one-two with Rapley before slotting the ball past Mark Cartwright in the Shaymen goal.

Halifax continued to do the most pushing forwards and on 40 minutes Ryan Mallon made a run down the far side but his cross sailed almost along the goal-line and went out for a goal kick near the near side post.

The blues defence though was holding solid and forcing long range shots from Halifax. Another such effort from Steve Bushell on 42 forced a good save from Wayne Brown.

So 1-0 at half time and Chester will definitely be happy with that score-line at this stage as most of the game so far has been played in their half.

Chester won a corner in the 50th minute which McIntyre played to the near post where it was cleared away. Smith tried to play it back in but eventually it fell to Ryan Mallon who made a long run down the right and after some play near the Chester goal it was Mallon himself who forced a low save from Wayne Brown.

In the 54th minute Jamie Heard was stretchered off the field to be replaced by Phil Bolland after a heavy tackle.

On 58 minutes Chester doubled their lead from a Kevin McIntyre free kick near the far side touchline.  It sailed into the box where it found Danny Collins who directed it high into the back of the net with a well placed glancing header.  Oh yes! 2-0.

In front of a superb and noisy away support, Daryl Clare scored a deadly goal in from close range in the 65th minute. The final ball through to him was a superb placed ball played along the ground near the goal line form Scott Guyett.  Exactly what Daryl needed, wham, bam thank you, 3-0.

Paul Carden replaced Alex Smith in the 71st minute.

The blues were firing on all cylinders now. Long cross continued to come in to the Halifax box and at the far end Wayne was a virtual spectator as the defence comfortably dealt with Halifax moves forwards.

However Chester were confident of victory now and the game inevitably began to fizzle out as a spectator spectacle. Or maybe I was just getting too numb with the cold to notice.

7 minutes from the end Carden played a great ball from midfield to McIntyre who was making a break down the left.  In acres of space he played a great ball into Daryl Clare but his shot was off target, much to his embarrassment.

In the 87th minute minute Halifax won a brace of corners as they looked for a consolation goal.  it wasn't to come though as the first was cleared behind and the second saved easily by Wayne.

Chester won a final corner in the third minute of injury time which McIntyre played straight to the keeper.

However Chester had defended superbly throughout and Halifax never looked likely to score.  Most of their efforts had continued to be through a packed goalmouth and scooped up easily by Wayne.

The full time whistle when it came brought to an end a comfortable win for Chester with Halifax tiring midway through the second half and not really in it after Chester brace of goals midway through the half. Deva TXT MOM award goes to Danny Collins.  Good evening from the Shay.

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