Match Report 1

Penalty rocks plucky Chester

EXETER: Wood; Kirkup. Viney, O'Shea, Marker, McNichol, Neville, Rogers, Sims, Pratt, Smith. Sub Harrower.

CHESTER: Butcher, Dixon, Bulmer, Sayer. Blackwell, Higgins, Fox, Walker, Brown. Speight, Brett, Wharton.

Referee: Mr. Ron Groves,
of Weston-super-Mare.

Chester badly hit by injuries and illness, were forced to field a makeshift side at Exeter. Andy Higgins played despite suffering from the 'flu and Mick Speight was drafted into action with a heavily strapped ankle. As Chester slowly set- tled into new-look formation, Exeter put them under early pressure. But they withstood it well and mounted a dangerous attack of their own after three minutes. Steve Fox and Dave Brett set up a shooting chance for Peter Sayer, and Exeter's Nick Marker had to clear of his own goal line. The lively Fox himself had the next best opening when he wriggled clear in the penalty area in the 10th minute bat shot high over the crossbar. Exeter came storming back and Kevin Smith created a chance for Steve Neville in the 14th minute. Neville's powerful drive was blocked by Peter Bulmer. Chester were rewarded in the 22nd minute, when SAYER put them in front. The goal came from a Bret 
corner, headed out by Marker and touched back by Chester's stand- in skipper Nigel Walker for Sayer to blast home a thundering shot from 20 yards. Exeter began to get their game together towards the end of the first half and Chester goalkeeper John Butcher was forced to make his first save in the 33rd minute, blocking a shot from Neville Butcher turned from hero to villain in the 36th minute, giving away the penalty that handed Exeter  their equaliser. He did well to block Ray Pratt shot, but as Smith followed up. Butcher brough him down. Exeter skipper VINEY sent Butcher the wrong way with a well-placed kick and the Devon side were level.hero to villain in the 36th minute, giving away the penalty that hande
their equaliser.

Half-time: Exeter 1, Chester 1.

Match Report 2.

Brave 10-man City hang on... just! 


Exeter City 1, Chester City 1

DEPLETED Chester survived a late penalty appeal to earn their third away draw of the season in an incident-packed match at Exeter, writes a correspondent. All Chester's hard work looked to have been undone when Andy Higgins brought Exeter striker John Sims crashing down with just four minutes to go. But to Chester's surprise as much as anybody's, Weston-super-Mare referee Ron Groves waved play on. The decision, however amazing, was just reward for the way Chester had knuckled down to their difficult task with so many injury and illness problems. They went into the match with enough set-backs and the situation was not helped when Steve Fox needlessly got himself sent off in the 75th minute. He carried on abusing the referee while joining Paul Black- well in the book for dissent and really had to go. To their credit, Chester did not let this unsettle them and despite a late frenzy of Exeter attacks, held out bravely for the draw. They were the better side by far in the first-half with Fox and Peter Sayer looking particularly dangerous. Sayer had a shot cleared off the line in the third minute and Fox wriggled himself into space in the 10th minute only to waste a good opening by shooting over the bar. Sayer made no mistake in the 22nd minute when Chester got their reward for adventurous attacking away from home. Dave Brett's corner was headed out only to Nigel Walker and he knocked a perfect pass in for Sayer to rifle a shot into the top corner from 20 yards. Exeter had little to offer in reply during the first-half. Steve Neville had low drives blocked by Peter Bulmer and goalkeeper John Butcher, but in general Exeter lacked penetration. They can count themselves fortunate to have equalised in the 36th minute with a goal handed to them on a plate. Butcher brought down Kevin Smith as he went for a loose ball and it was a clear penalty. Keith Viney sent Butcher the wrong way from the spot to level the scores. Exeter were far more positive in the second-half as fading Chester struggled to find their first-half rhythm and their make- shift defence had to go into overdrive to keep the home side at bay. Butcher made a handful of important saves and outstanding full-back Lee Dixon cleared off the line to keep that valuable point safe.

Exeter: Wood, Kirkup. Viney, O'Shea, Marker, McNichol, Neville, Rogers, Sims, Pratt, Smith. Sub: Harrower.

Chester: Butcher, Dixon, Bulmer, Sayer, Blackwell, Higgins, Fox, Walker, Brown, Speight, Brett. Sub: Wharton (for Brett, 74 mins).

Attendance: 2,347.