Dag & Red 1  Tony Roberts 3  Ashley Vickers 6  Steve Heffer 8  Paul Terry 9  Danny Shipp 10  Mark Stein 13  Junior 17  Lee Matthews 19  Tarkan Mustafa 25  Steve Watts 26  John McGrath Substitutes 2  Tim Cole 7  Mark Janney 14  Danny Hill 15  Steve West 18  Paul Gothard

Goals Watts   Stats 5 Goal Attempts 6 2 On Target 2 2 Off Target 3 1 Hit Woodwork 1 2 Corners 7 Cards Yellow Heffer Bolland Roberts Hatswell McGrath   Red None None

Chester Wayne Brown  1 Kevin McIntyre  3 Phil Bolland  5 Wayne Hatswell  6 James Kelly  8 Paul Carden  14 Ben Davies  20 Danny Collins  24 Scott Guyett  25 Daryl Clare  27 Mark Quayle  28 Substitutes Shaun Carey  4 Michael Twiss  9 Ryan Sugden  15 Carl Ruffer  17 Jon Brady  26

This was always going to a tight and tough game for both sides who are chasing promotion via the play-offs to the Football League. With Chester's sole away defeat being a 1-0 via a penalty at Woking, and Daggers' recent run of form with only 1 loss in the last 16 league games and more recently six wins in a row, something had to give.

Chester gave a debut to new signing Mark Quayle who the Daggers knew all about having played against him and Nuneaton only a week before. It was to prove an equally misfiring day for him. The Daggers continued to press Junior into service as an emergency winger in Janney's recent absence, Stein and Watts making the front pairing.

The game started as was expected as Chester tried to make their physical advantage tell as their huge back four and midfield kept behind the ball. Their main form of attack was the numerours set-pieces they got but the Daggers stood the test of a giant back four coming into their box. Chances were mainly falling to Chester though as Roberts made a superb double save after a slip in the defence to stop Quayle, and Clare wasted a good chance when through as he shot wide of the far post. Unfortunately, Roberts injured his ankle in the Quayle saves, yet he carried on despite visible pain to keep the visitors out.

At the other end, Shipp fizzed one goalwards that was deflected behind, probably going wide anyway, but Chester came back and from a set piece, Guyett's shot rattled the bar. Matthews just failed to connect with Paul Terry's corner and the ball was scrambled away, and a good right wing cross missed everyone as the Daggers tried to get going.

Just on half time, and a piece of brilliance by McGrath, and it was 1-0 to the Daggers. He ran at the full back who could do nothing to stop him and his brilliant back post cross was steamed into by Watts who buried the header high to Brown's left, the quality of the cross taking the defence and keeper out of the game.

The second half saw Chester come out more and look a much better side than that of the hit and hope first. Despite their physical pressure, they couldn't create much as the Daggers stood firm at the back, but as the half wore on, they could and probably should have equalised. Roberts couldn't gather a cross and it dropped onto Quayle's foot just a few yards out who mis-hit it over the bar. After weathering the storm, the Daggers got back into the game as they had first half and the introduction of Janney helped as he ran at people and harried the defence into giving the ball away.

As with Chester earlier in the half, it was really just forced pressure which didn't yield many chances but the Daggers should have wrapped it up with the best one. Watts played Stein in and his first time lob beat the keeper who could only watch it hit the foot of the post and bounce out. After this, Chester tried to get the goal back but with Roberts smothering at the feet of Clare in a one-on-one, there was to be no more chances as the referee ended the game.

Unfortunately, Ben Davies was injured for the visitors early on and had to be stretchered off. It seemed a bad injury, DaggerNet hopes he can make a recovery and that it isn't career threatening.