Goals from Paul Blackett and Glen Taylor ensured Moors won for the second time in the week to end Chester’s long unbeaten run with victory at The Deva Stadium.

The hosts were without a defeat in 17 games but Moors were good value for their win, defending with real determination and really earning their three points.

Jason Ainsley made one change to his starting eleven, with Bobby Faulkner coming into the centre of defence after arriving on loan from Doncaster Rovers, replacing the injured Lebrun Mbeka. Fellow Doncaster loan man Liam Ravenhill was named among the substitutes.

After a scrappy opening, it was Moors who began to find their rhythm first and they began to play some good football, though Dan Langley was tested by an acrobatic effort from Anthony Dudley which he held comfortably.

On 12 minutes Moors grabbed the lead. Ryan Wombwell got forward to good effect and his deflected cross looped into the path of Paul Blackett who did enough to help it on its way into the net despite the efforts of a defender on the line.

Ainsley’s side could have added a quick-fire second when the dangerous John Lufudu first saw a shot blocked before his follow-up flashed just wide of the far post via a deflection.

Langley was then forced into a fantastic instinctive save as he got down low to paw the ball clear after Harrison Burke’s header looked set to be bouncing towards the bottom corner.

The on-loan keeper was called into action once more moments later when a rare lapse from debutant Faulkner saw Dudley escape through on goal only to be denied by Langley’s left foot.

Rhys Hughes whipped in a wicked free-kick from the left which skipped menacingly through the Moors penalty area but thankfully flashed just wide of the far post.

The busy Rob Ramshaw then saw his shot on goal deflected wide, before Declan Weeks was denied by some more good goalkeeping from Langley at the other end.

Corey McKeown was causing the hosts problems down the left and when he found space to let fly with a curling effort from the left corner of the box, Tyrer had to get across to his left quickly to tip the ball over the bar.

The hosts started the second half strongly and could have levelled when Harrison Burke met a corner from the right but his looping header was cleared off the line by Wombwell.

Moors broke with venom though and Blackett bullied his way into the right side of the penalty area before sliding an inviting ball across goal where Chester were able to clear in the nick of time with Callum Ross arriving to shoot.

However, Moors did double their lead on 65 minutes when a slick move saw the ball arrive at the feet of McKeown and he found the space to send a ball into the middle which was expertly despatched by Glen Taylor for 2-0.

Chester reacted well and got a lifeline when the referee spotted a handball inside the area and points to the penalty spot on 76 minutes and Kurt Willoughby slotted home.

That set up a tense finale and Chester should perhaps have levelled when a deep cross to the far post found substitute Darren Stephenson but he volleyed wastefully over the bar.

Moors continued to put their bodies on the line to protect their lead and saw it through to full time to end Chester’s 17-game unbeaten run and secure their second win in a week.

Full Time: Chester 1 Moors 2

Chester: Tyrer, Brown, Weeks, Burke (Thomas 66), Willoughby, Dudley, Roberts, Williams, Coates, Hughes (Stephenson 46), Edwards.
Subs not used: Morgan, Thomas, Murray, Caton.

Moors: Langley, Wombwell, Faulkner, Curtis, Kendall, Lufudu, Ross, Ramshaw, McKeown (Shanks 89), Blackett (Anderson 62), Taylor.
Subs not used: Flatters, Thompson, Ravenhill.

Booked: Curtis (72), Taylor (82), Shanks (90)

Referee: Darren Rogers

Attendance: 2,161