Swansea City 1 v 1 Chester City



SAME OLD STORY

Sad Swansea spilled crucial promotion points in a tale of two halves at The Vetch Field.

The Welshman spurned a sackful of chances, yet it had all started so well for John Hollins' glory hunters with Stuart Roberts powering home in the opening moments.

But a stunning equaliser after the break by Chester's Luke Beckett had the natives restless and by the death there were loud howls of derision.

Swansea's attempts to further cement their play-off spot were delayed in a pre kick-off incident which belonged to a comic farce.

Northampton referee Peter Walton had spotted dog excrement on the pitch and ordered ground staff to clear it.

But on two minutes The Swans almost made up for lost time with a slick move.

Teenager Roberts weaved space on the right and Julian Alsop's blistering far post header was beaten back by the airborne Wayne Brown - Richard Appleby's follow up miss clipping the bar.

But four minutes later, a rampant Swansea were ahead as Chester's Brown turned villain from hero.

The former Bristol City man fumbled an innocuous looking Swansea ball and Roberts cashed in as he thumped it into the empty net for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Jason Smith and Alsop threatened again soon after but after 27 minutes Swansea rode fortune as Matt Bound's miscued clearance rebounded to safety via Roger Freestone's startled face.

Just before the hour, Chester silenced the Welsh crowd with a stunning leveller. Ross Davidson swung over a cross from the right and Beckett's flicked header looped over flat-footed Freestone.

Swansea rallied and Steve Watkin stabbed wide on 70 minutes, but Blues striker John Murphy unbelievably lifted his shot over three minutes later with the Welshman all at sea.

Swansea City: Freestone, O'Leary, Clode, Cusack, Smith, Bound, Roberts, Appleby, Alsop, Watkin, Coates,
Not used: Lacey

Chester City: Brown, Davidson, Cross, Richardson, Crosby, Woods, Flitcroft, Priest, Murphy, Beckett, Fisher,
Not used: Alsford, Smeets,

Substitutions
Swansea City: Jones, S, for Roberts (56), Bird, for Watkin (76)
Chester City: Conroy, for Beckett (90)


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