Chester 1-3 ECFC 
Re-arranged game. 
Scorers: Kellow (pen), Pratt 2
Attendance: 2,867

PROMOTION CHANCES ARE FINALLY DASHED


ALAN OAKES could return at Mansfield tomorrow, but too late to prevent Chester from becoming also rans in the Third Division promotion race.

Their lingering hopes were finally dashed with Wednesday's 3-1 home defeat by Exeter City, after they had taken maximum points from their previous two matches. Oakes, having his longest spell out of action since he joined the club, had to watch helplessly as his defence blundered badly to allow Exeter new signing, Ray Pratt, to score two gift goals to add to the one he scored for Merthyr Tydfil in the recent Welsh Cup match.

Chester looked better for the return of winger Peter Sutcliffe, but the strikers lacked service from midfield, which could be strengthened tomorrow by the return of Oakes and Keith Fear. Fear was due to play half of the Lancashire League game against Port Vale yesterday to establish his fitness and there were no further injuries from Wednesday's match. There are also hopes that goalkeeper, Grenville Millington, will be fit again after missing the Exeter match with flu. Brian Lloyd deputised, but was responsible for the goal which put Exeter into a 2-1 lead.

Watching the game, presumably with an eye on Ian Rush, was the Liverpool manager, Bob Paisley. Chester have another away match next Tuesday, when they travel to one of their happier hunting grounds, Rotherham.