Chester had an opportunity early on with a Danny Collins throw in two minutes from the start. Smith collected the ball and passed it inside to Jon Brady who shot across the face of goal.

Aldershot created a good chance in the 11th minute when Hooper played a great long diagonal ball to Lee Charles who was making a breakaway run down the left hand side. After some twisting and turning on the edge of the box his cross was poor and cleared away to safety by Scott Guyett.

Aldershot had another good chance in the 18th minute courtesy of Lee Charles who found himself in free space inside the box. A good tackle from Guyett saved the day to keep the score sheet clean.

Aaron McLean made a great run for Aldershot two minutes later again to be denied by Guyett inside the box with a great tackle which brought strong penalty appeals from the Aldershot fans as referee Chapman waved play on.

The traffic was almost one way at this stage and a Charles shot at goal was deflected for a corner by Kevin McIntyre. Tim Sills shot just wide past the right hand post as the cross came into the box from the corner.

It was Lee Charles again with a shot on target just a minute later from the edge of the box but Wayne Brown was well placed to collect it easily.

Chester missed an absolute sitter in the 32nd minute when Clare played a ball back from the goal line into the path of Ben Davies who shot wide of the right hand post when it looked easier to score.

Adam Miller had a crack at goal in the 36th minute when Lee Charles' cross rebounded wildly off McIntyre. His powerful shot was just beyond the top left hand corner of the goal.

Five minutes before the break and Chester finally had some good foraging chances in front of the Aldershot goal.  Ben Davies will consider himself unlucky on the 42nd minute when his shot was blocked by the Aldershot defence.  And a minute later Davies was again involved with a cross into Darryn Stamp whose header was just put behind for a corner.

From the corner Collins header was cleared off the line for a second corner.  Again Collins got on the end of McIntyre's second corner but this but the ball was cleared away.

Into the second half and within a minute from the restart Chester could have been in the lead as Ben Davies ran on to a Stamp pass from the goal line. In the wet and muddy conditions though he skidded on to the ball and the shot came to nothing.

In the 48th minute Darryn Stamp received the ball from Clare with his back to goal.  He turned and hit a powerful shot which was deflected for a corner.

Kevin McIntyre played the corner to the edge of the box and Darryn Stamp opened the scoring in a goal mouth scramble, bundling the ball over the line from close range.  It doesn't matter how they go in, they all count, and Chester take the lead after a fierce attacking start to the second half from the blues.

Lee Charles found himself in acres of space a few minutes later in front of Browns goal, but with Brown standing firm and the defence rushing back he had to settle for a corner. The resultant corner was cleared away without danger.

Just before the hour though Aldershot were equal when an Adam Miller cross found Jon Challinor on the edge of the box. Challinor's header gave Brown no chance and the game was level.

Chester made a substitution on 61 minutes with Paul Carden replacing Alex Smith. Five minutes later and with Carl Ruffer struggling somewhat he was replaced by Jamie Heard.

The game entered a quiet period as the rain continued to fall relentlessly leading to increasingly slippery conditions.

In the 75th minute Tim Sills came close to giving Aldershot the lead with a good header as the ball was played across the goal.  Wayne Brown had to dive low to save the ball almost on the goalline.

Chester won a corner in the 76th minute which was taken by Ben Davies.  It was cleared initially but only out to Jon Brady whose shot took a deflection off a defender, beating the goalkeeper.  Unfortunately for the blues it had been knocked off target and scraped past the right hand post.

Both teams kept pushing for the winner and Chester came close in the 85th minute when Clare placed a powerful shot at the goalkeeper, who nearly spilled it and only just managed to smother it with Brady closing in.

Chester have Wayne Brown to thank for not conceding a late goal from a free kick from about 35 yards.  Adam Millers powerful shot was heading for the top left hand corner of the net but Brown was there to tip it over for a corner.

Shields nearly had the winner for Aldershot only a minute later with his shot deflected for another corner.  This third corner for Aldershot in three minutes was punched away from danger by Wayne Brown as it floated into the box.

Chester really were under enormous pressure in they dying minutes as three minutes of added time was signalled by the fourth official.  They did manage to keep the ball in the Aldershot half for most of the added time but it was with some relief that the final whistle blew for a share of the spoils.

This was a thoroughly entertaining game throughout and a credit to both promotion contenders. Difficult choice for MOM this afternoon but I've gone for Guyett.  The good news is that the result is enough to keep Chester top of the Conference table as Shrewsbury beat Hereford by an astonishing 4-1 margin.

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