Chester continued their climb up the Nat 2 North table with convincing yet scrappy win at Lightfoot Green on Saturday. Two late scores finally shook off a determined but limited Preston Grasshoppers side.
For once, Chester started brightly and opened the scoring when full-back Gethin Long continued his fine try scoring form by crossing wide out. Returning fly-half Liam Reeve was unable to add the conversion. His opposite number Ben Pearson landed the home side's first points of the afternoon after Chester were penalised for a high tackle, and Preston Grasshoppers took the lead 2 minutes later when scrumhalf and captain Harry Moulding nicked the ball at the base of a scrum and fed centre Jacob Browne to score under the posts. With the conversion added, Hoppers led 10-5. The frantic start continued as a series of penalties in the red zone put Chester in a position to drive over the line with prop Josh Woods credited with the score. Reeve's conversion gained the lead back for Chester, one that they wouldn't relinquish.
Continued errors from the home side along with a yellow card for back Sam Gale ensured that Chester's line wasn't threatened in the second quarter and on 37 minutes the evergreen Sean Green (pictured) pounced on a loose pass to hack through, win the foot chase and score Chester's third try. A successful conversion from Reeve left the half time score at 10-19.
After the restart, Ollie Wynn, last week's Nat 2 North Player of the Week, was agonisingly close to extending Chester's lead after an 80m hack through but was unable to control the ball over the line. Chester conceded a yellow card for repeat offences as Tom Furnival was singled out and Pearson landed his second penalty to conclude Hoppers scoring for the day. Chester kept the best until last as, after some first-class play, they swept 80m and replacement scrumhalf Tom Holloway scored a fine try. A Reeve conversion and late penalty, following exerted scrum pressure, completed a workman-like way win for Harry Wilkinson's team and took them to 6th in the table ahead of Harrogate's visit to Hare Lane next week.