Daryl Clare nearly gave Chester the lead as early as the third minute but saw his shot cleared off the line at the last minute.

There was danger at the other end a few minutes later when Tony Hackworth was nearly allowed a free shot at goal. Fortunately he seemed to freeze somewhat allowing the blues defence to clear the ball from danger.

Michael Twiss made a good run through the centre of the park on 14 minutes, beating several midfielders on the way, but was dispossessed on the edge of the box.

After a slow start the Scarborough defence were finally beaten in 19 minutes.  Daryl Clare made a great run down the left hand side and beat his marker to get a cross into the box. Glen Downey intercepted but Darryn Stamp was quick to poach the ball from him and send a low angled shot across the goal into the right hand corner of the net.

Ben Davies made a good run down the right hand side a few minutes later and had a shot at goal himself from about 25 yards out. His shot sailed over the crossbar but was not that far off the target.

Wayne Gill nearly got an equaliser for Scarborough on 25 minutes with only Turner to beat. Fortunately his shot hit the right hand upright to go out for a goal kick.

Scarborough won a corner in the 32nd minute which Kevin Nicholson played to the near side of the box. Kelly put in a powerful shot but it rebounded off several legs, losing its momentum and going out for another corner.

The second corner resulted in a third corner for Scarborough which was cleared initially before being blasted over the bar for a goal kick.

Scarborough did not look like a mid table side with nothing to play for.  The looked like a side who were determined to spoil the party and kept the pressure up for the next 5 minutes.  A long curving free kick from Kevin Nicholson on 36 minutes was saved comfortably by Iain Turner.

Turner had to make another save a few minutes later from a Karl Rose shot which was heading skywards into the roof of the net.

Scarborough won another corner in the 39th minute which again was taken by Nicholson. Kelly played it back out to him but as the cross came into the box the referee blew for a push on one of the Chester defenders.

So a tense end to the first half but a precious lead for the blues at half time.

Andy Harris replaced Michael Twiss at the start of the second half.  It was a scrappy affair for the first fifteen minutes with no real chances at either end.  Mark Wright was forced to make a substitute, taking the injured Danny Collins off to be replaced by Lee Elam.

Chester were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position in the 60th minute which Kevin McIntyre took after Clare had dummied it. He got around the wall with plenty of swerve on the ball but was too high over the target.

Ben Davies made a good run in the 66th minute and played a nice one-two with Darryn Stamp but came unstuck on the edge of the box as the Scarborough cleared.

Chester were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position which Ben Davies sent on target towards goal, forcing a great fingertip save from Walker to put the ball behind for a corner. The corner itself was cleared away without any real opportunity for goal.

As the tension mounted Scarborough were awarded a free kick 25 yards from goal with 10 minutes left. There was a heart stopping moment as Jimmy Kelly lashed it towards goal after a short free kick but the shot went inches wide of the left hand upright.

Once again as the half came towards the end it was Scarborough making most of the attacking runs forwards.

Ben Davies had a chance to finish it off three minutes from time after Lee Elam had made a good run down the left. There was a scramble on the left hand side before the ball was played back to Davies who launched it just wide of the left hand upright.

Absolute scenes of relief and euphoria then when the final whistle went.