Match ends, Chester FC 0, Eastleigh 1.
Chester 0-1 Eastleigh
- From the section Football
Sub Dan Walker scored with his first touch to boost Eastleigh's Conference play-off hopes with a win at Chester.
Walker struck from 10 yards on 65 minutes to lift the Spitfires to within four points off the top five.
Both sides had chances before then, with Craig Hobson's header for Chester saved and James Constable missing a sitter for the visitors.
The hosts pressed hard but Craig Mahon's effort was blocked and John Rooney's free-kick was saved.
Having won their previous four games, Chester could have leapfrogged Eastleigh and risen to sixth in the Conference table if they had won.
But, instead, their fifth defeat in seven home matches in all competitions leaves them five points behind Eastleigh, and nine adrift of the play-offs.
Chester boss Steve Burr told BBC Radio Merseyside:
"We didn't really do enough to warrant winning. Things didn't drop for us as they have been in recent weeks, but equally we didn't deserve to lose either.
"We'd have been happy with a draw, given the way we played.
"It was just so disappointing to lose to a goal like that and they've got the experienced lads who know how to see a job out.
"Our target was to get the three points and go above them. But we've been on a great run and it shows how far we've come that we're so disappointed."
Line-ups
Chester
- 1Worsnop
- 23Higgins
- 22Heneghan
- 6Charnock
- 3Roberts
- 7Mahon
- 10RooneySubstituted forRichardsat 71'minutes
- 18Abbott
- 27Hughes
- 16McConvilleSubstituted forJamesat 71'minutes
- 19HobsonSubstituted forThomsonat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Thomson
- 5Brown
- 8James
- 13Viscosi
- 15Richards
Eastleigh
- 1Flitney
- 2Spence
- 5Beckwith
- 26PartingtonBooked at 60mins
- 3Green
- 14Strevens
- 8Stanley
- 27PellSubstituted forWalkerat 63'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 10Reason
- 9ConstableSubstituted forBurtonat 74'minutes
- 12MidsonSubstituted forHowardat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 11McAllister
- 16Evans
- 19Howard
- 28Walker
- 29Burton
- Referee:
- Richard Martin
- Attendance:
- 2,294
Match Stats
Home TeamChesterAway TeamEastleigh
- Possession
- Home46%
- Away54%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away3
- Corners
- Home0
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home8
- Away9
Live Text
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chester FC 0, Eastleigh 1.
Foul by Matty Hughes (Chester FC).
Ross Flitney (Eastleigh) wins a free kick.
Attempt saved. Dan Walker (Eastleigh) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Corner, Chester FC.
Booking
Dan Walker (Eastleigh) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Dan Walker (Eastleigh).
Craig Mahon (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Corner, Chester FC.
Foul by Deon Burton (Eastleigh).
Brad Abbott (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Attempt saved. Kingsley James (Chester FC) header from a difficult angle on the right is saved. Assisted by Brad Abbott.
Corner, Chester FC.
Foul by Kingsley James (Chester FC).
Brian Howard (Eastleigh) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Eastleigh. Brian Howard replaces Jack Midson.
Substitution
Substitution, Chester FC. George Thomson replaces Craig Hobson because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Eastleigh. Deon Burton replaces James Constable.
Corner, Eastleigh.
Substitution
Substitution, Chester FC. Kingsley James replaces Sean McConville.
Substitution
Substitution, Chester FC. Kane Richards replaces John Rooney.
Attempt saved. John Rooney (Chester FC) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Foul by Joe Partington (Eastleigh).
Brad Abbott (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Corner, Chester FC.
Foul by John Rooney (Chester FC).
Ben Strevens (Eastleigh) wins a free kick.
Goal!
Goal! Chester FC 0, Eastleigh 1. Dan Walker (Eastleigh) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Jai Reason with a cross.
Substitution
Substitution, Eastleigh. Dan Walker replaces Harry Pell.
Attempt missed. Sean McConville (Chester FC) left footed shot from outside the box is too high.
Attempt saved. John Rooney (Chester FC) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Booking
Joe Partington (Eastleigh) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Foul by Joe Partington (Eastleigh).
Craig Hobson (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Attempt missed. Matty Hughes (Chester FC) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left.
Offside, Eastleigh. James Constable tries a through ball, but James Constable is caught offside.
Foul by Daniel Spence (Eastleigh).
Matty Hughes (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Corner, Eastleigh.