Once again it was Chester who had the best of the opening stages but this time Exeter came straight back at them.  In the first minute Ruffer played a high ball into McIntyre who fed it through to Davies but his shot was blocked.

Two minutes later Chester had a corner which was taken across the face of goal by Brady and Fosters shot hit the side netting.

Exeter came straight back into the game winning a corner from Hatswell who put the ball behind under pressure but the resulting corner was easily collected by McCaldon, who replaced the injured Wayne Brown in the Chester goal.

On 17 Exeter again came close when Cronin's shot was punched over by McCaldon. On the break Foster found himself in space on the left and advanced as far as the box where he was fouled by Hiley. He took the penalty himself and put Chester into the lead in the 19th minute as the keeper dived right.

Chester were on top at this point and it could have been 2 when McIntyre cross allowed Brady a header but he was just wide to the right of goal.

Chester were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position just outside the box when Jeannin brought Brady down but after a scramble in the final third of the pitch the ball was eventually cleared. A free kick at the other end then brought the equaliser for Exeter.  The well placed free kick allowed Thomas an easy shot from close range at the far post which he made no mistake with to give Exeter an equaliser that they certainly deserved.  Ruffer and Collins were looking uncomfortable in the new 4-4-2 formation and Exeter were starting to take advantage of this.

It was Thomas again who could have given Exeter the lead a few minutes later as he won the ball well in the air only to shoot off target.

Chester's final chance of an even first half came in the 43rd when a McIntyre corner came inswinging across the face of goal.  Ruffer got a touch but only just and the ball went behind for a goal kick.

An entertaining and even first half then with the scores equal at half time and both teams still looking possible for all 3 points.  Unfortunately for the blues it was not to last.  The second half was was to be littered with defensive errors and as Exeter grew in confidence the blues looked decidedly 2nd best.

The first 15 minutes of the half was a scrappy midfield affair with no real chances at either end. Then on 58 Exeter won a corner which Ampadu sent straight into McCaldon.  This was to be his last effort of the game as he was replaced with Afful.

Right on the stroke of the hour a defensive error by Ruffer allowed Flack to have a free shot at goal.  It was blocked and parried by McCaldon but unfortunately fell to Moor who knocked it home on the rebound to give the home side a 2-1 lead.

Chester responded with a good run from Brady down the right and his cross found Stamp who could only power it over the bar.  This was to be Chester's only real shot at goal in the second half.

A tactical substitution then followed for Chester as the struggling Ruffer was replaced by Twiss.  However Chester continued to come under pressure and Ben Davies was on call several times moving back into defence to make clearances.

Beesley came on for Foster for the final 15 minutes but Chester were lacking in ideas to break down Exeter in the final third.  Exeter nearly made it 3-1 in the 85th minute and it was again McCaldon who was on hand to bock a powerful shot from Afful.

So Exeter were to run out deserved winners in the end as a promising first half from both sides gave way to Exeter domination in the second.  The change of formation caught the defence on the hop with only Hatswell putting in a credible performance to win the Deva TXT man of the match award.  However Chester have yet to have an attacker score a goal from open play after 360 minutes of football and that is not promotion winning form.   We need to see more creativity from midfield to assist the strikers as chances were few and far between today, particularly in the second half.