Match ends, Chester FC 0, Eastleigh 1.
ChesterChester0EastleighEastleigh1
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
Formation 4-4-2
- 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
Formation 4-4-2
- 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
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Chester FC 0, Eastleigh 1.
Post update
Foul by Matty Hughes (Chester FC).
Post update
Ross Flitney (Eastleigh) wins a free kick.
Post update
Attempt saved. Dan Walker (Eastleigh) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Post update
Corner, Chester FC.
Booking
Dan Walker (Eastleigh) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Dan Walker (Eastleigh).
Post update
Craig Mahon (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Post update
Corner, Chester FC.
Post update
Foul by Deon Burton (Eastleigh).
Post update
Brad Abbott (Chester FC) wins a free kick.
Post update
Attempt saved. Kingsley James (Chester FC) header from a difficult angle on the right is saved. Assisted by Brad Abbott.
Post update
Corner, Chester FC.
Post update
Foul by Kingsley James (Chester FC).
Post update
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.
Post update
Corner, Eastleigh.
