Chester 2 AFC Telford 1 - Report and pictures

Amari-Morgan Smith headed Telford into a 20th minute lead, before Akwasi Asante levelled it up just four minutes later.

With the first chance of the second period, striker Anthony Dudley fired the home side in front before the Bucks were controversially denied an equaliser.

Morgan-Smith swept the ball home after keeper Grant Shenton had spilled it in the box, but the referee disallowed the goal for an apparent foul on the stopper.

Matters got worse 20 minutes from time as skipper Shane Sutton was awarded a red card.

The Bucks did rally late on in a bid to snatch a point, but they couldn't find that elusive goal.

Gavin Cowan sought to give his back line some extra man power, to cope with one of the most potent home attack in the league.

He opted to go with a back four, with Steph Morley stepping in at left back.

There were two personnel changes, with last week's star Ryan Barnett unlucky to miss out along with Andre Brown.

Morgan-Smith came into the side and there was a full debut for Brendon Daniels, with the pair forging a front three alongside top scorer Daniel Udoh.

The home side, who boast the best home record in the division enjoyed the early pressure, with the main threat coming down the left hand side in the form of experienced winger Craig Mahon.

The first chance fell to Telford though, as Sutton powered a header wide from a Morley corner.

Then on ten minutes the home side had the ball in the net.

Former Telford winger Adam Dawson, who had already enjoyed some colourful chanting from the away fans following his controversial departure earlier this season, whipped in a free kick for the in form Asante.

The striker glanced the ball beyond goalkeeper Andy Wycherley and in, but thankfully for the Bucks the linesman had his flag raised for offside.

Chester were asking questions of the Bucks back line in the opening quarter hour, as Dudley headed wide from just five yards.

Then Wycherley was called into action for the first time, producing a super save with his feet to deny Asante.

Mahon hung a cross up to the back post, Simon Grand headed it back across the box and Asante was unmarked, but the Bucks stopper denied him from point blank range.

The Bucks were having to soak up the pressure, but against the run of play with their first clear cut chance they took the lead.

Morley fired in a flat free kick to the back post, and Morgan-Smith met it and powered a header across the keeper and into the corner.

However, just as the haze had cleared from the smoke bomb that had been let off in the away end, the home side were level.

A long ball from the back was flicked on by Dudley, and Asante sprung the offside trap to meet it, held off Theo Streete and stroked the ball under Wycherley and into the net.

That made it five goals in three outings for the league's in form striker, who boss Cowan had earmarked as a danger this week.

James McQuilkin then fired a volley wide, after a poor clearance from the Chester defence, with Cian Noble firing lashing over the Bucks upright at the other end.

Then a failed clearance from Morley almost led to Asante grabbing his and the Blue's second.

The defender's volleyed clearance rebounded off a Chester player into the path of the striker, who turned Streete inside out before firing into the side netting from an angle.

It was the Blues having the better of the chances as the half drew to a close, and they were presented with a golden one moments before the break.

Henry Cowans' under hit was picked up by Mahon, who drove forward into the box but he could only drag an effort wide.

Telford enjoyed some good build up play in at the start of the second period, but six minutes in and Chester had turned the game right around.

Steve Thomson found Dudley on the edge of the area, and his first shot was blocked.

However his second re-bounded back to him and he lashed the ball past Wycherley and into the corner.

It was a blow to the Bucks so soon after the break, but they were the ones enjoying the most of the possession.

They had pressure on the Blues, and on the hour mark they though they had drawn level with a valid goal.

Daniels fired in a free kick that bounced around, before Streete headed it back into the mix.

Goalkeeper Grant Shenton came out and dropped it, with Morgan-Smith sweeping home the re-bound but to the anger of the Bucks players, referee Sam Barrott disallowed the goal.

Players surrounded the referee, and felt aggrieved because of what looked like nothing more than a mistake from the Chester goalkeeper.

Cowan made his first change in a bid to get back in the game, with Ryan Barnett replacing Cowans.

But within minutes of the on loan man coming on, one of his team mates was walking the other way for an early bath.

A bouncing ball in the Telford half, saw Dudley get the better of skipper Sutton 25 yards from goal, with the defender clearly pulling the striker back.

The referee produced the red card, and Sutton's afternoon ended early, giving the Bucks an even bigger mountain to climb.

The Bucks were leaving gaps at the back as they were now down to ten men, but they were still having a good go at the other end.

Streete headed wide twice from corners from Daniels, with Udoh seeing a deflected strike fly wide.

The Chester goal was living a charmed life, and two minutes from time the Bucks pressure almost told.

Daniels' whipped corner from the right hand side almost went straight in, but a Chester defender scrambled the ball away.

Telford couldn't muster any more pressure and Chester managed to see the game out.

Key moments

15 - SAVE - Craig Mahon hangs a cross up to the back post, where former Buck Simon Grand meets it and heads it back across the box. It falls to the unmarked Akwasi Asante, but he is denied from point blank range by Andy Wycherley.

20 - GOAL - Against the run of play the Bucks get themselves in front. Steph Morley's free kick is floated to the back post, and Amari Morgan-Smith meets it and powers a header across the keeper an in.

24 - GOAL - The lead lasts just four minutes as the Blues draw level. A long ball is flicked on by Anthony Dudley, into the path of Asante, who holds off Theo Streete and strokes the ball home.

51 - GOAL - Chester take the lead with the first chance of the half for either side. Matthew Thomson finds Dudley on the edge of the box, and his first shot re-bounds back to him and he most no mistake with the second effort, firing beyond Wycherley.

60 - DISALLOWED GOAL - Brendon Daniels lashes in a free kick that bounces around, and comes to Streete at the back post. He heads it back into the mix, goalkeeper Grant Shenton spills it and Morgan-Smith turns it home, but the referee disallows it. Looked a perfectly good goal.

70 - RED CARD - Pretty blatant and the Bucks can half no complaints. Dudley gets the better of Sutton as the ball bounces 25 yards from the visitors goal. Sutton clearly pulls the striker back, and the referee produces a red card and the skipper is heading for an early bath.

Chester (4-4-2) - Shenton, Moran, Thomson, Noble, Grand, Howson, Dawson (Jackson 73), Stopforth, Asante (Mooney 57), Dudley, Mahon (Smalley 90)

Subs not used - Green, Marsh-Hughes

AFC Telford United (4-3-3) - Wycherley, White, Sutton, Streete, Morley, Cowans (Barnett 62), McQuilkin (Brown 88), Deeney, Daniels, Morgan-Smith (Knights 77), Udoh

Subs not used - Royle, Ceesay

Attendance - 2,079

Referee - Sam Barrott