City bagged their first win for nine games in an incident-packed clash with high-flying Chester.

Goals from Omar Daley and Alex Rhodes clinched a much-needed three points at the Coral Windows Stadium. Kevin Ellison's reply in stoppage time was no more than a consolation.

But that does not tell half the story of a clash in which both sides missed penalties.

Darren Williams had cleared off the line from Chris Holroyd before City were awarded their spot-kick for Tony Dinning's foul on Eddie Johnson. But Nicky Law's penalty was poor and John Danby saved comfortably.

Stuart McCall, who had axed Mark Bower and Barry Conlon, must have feared the worst again. But City showed real persistence and took the lead nine minutes before the break as Daley cut inside to lash home off the post.

Chester began the second half with a spot-kick of their own after Ellison was sandwiched between Matt Clarke and David Wetherall. But Dinning's penalty was superbly pushed against the bar by Donovan Ricketts.

City rode the increasing pressure and the roof came off when they made it 2-0 with a minute of normal time left with an excellent individual finish from substitute Rhodes.

Ellison nodded one back to spoil the clean sheet but that could not prevent City's victory - or Chester's first away defeat.

CITY: Ricketts, Williams, Wetherall, Clarke, Heckingbottom, Evans, Daley, Johnson, Nix, Law, Thorne. Subs: Bower, Conlon, Rhodes, Ndumbu-Nsungu, Saynor.