City won a corner in the twelfth minute but Kerr hit it straight at the first defender, a common occurrence with City set pieces these days. Paul Linwood was the first player to receive a booking as he sythed Dany N'Guessan to the ground, this just six months after Dany was sent off for a similar offence at the same ground last season. The Frenchman was again involved minutes later as he was the centre of a strange free kick decision by the referee, the official giving a free kick for Dany apparently fouling someone whilst on the floor.

Kovacs gained a booking yet again as he challenge Ellison on the left before City have extremely brief shouts for a penalty when Frecklington's fierce shot appeared to hit a defender on the hand in the area, the referee waving play on. A volley from Patulea presented the best chance of the game so far but Danby was well alert in the Chester goal as he denied the Romanian his third City goal.

A rare Chester break saw Mozika and Green go down injured after a challenge from the latter. When both had recovered, the Imps defence cleared the resulting free kick quite easily.

The game appeared to be heading for a first half stalemate before LJL forced a late corner. Scott Kerr sent the ball high into the box and Kovacs headed goalwards, after a small scramble all the City players ran away in celebration as the ball had apparently entered the back of the net. That came right on the stroke of half time and the Imps had a lead that they had deserved.

Lee Frecklington was replaced by Aaron Brown at half time for the Imps as the youngster had an injury sustained in the first half. It wasn't long before Brown was involving as he and Beevers interlinked and it almost created a chance for Patulea, the Romanian just failing to get to it. It didn't take long before Dany N'Guessan was showing his inconsistency, brilliantly beating a man before shooting well wide when he should have passed it.

The less-than-prolific Paul Green tried his luck unsuccessfully from 25 yards before N'Guessan headed over from less than six yards out but it wasn't long before the Imps took a long overdue second goal. John-Lewis and Green fed N'Guessan down the right and the Frenchman crossed the ball across the 6 yard line. Several players missed it before it fell to Adrian Patulea. The striker took his time before smashing the ball into the net to give the Imps a well earned 2-0 lead.

Lowe and McManus went off for Taylor and Partridge before Vaughan viciously fouled LJL, receiving a booking in the process before Taylor dragged Chester's first effort of the second half wide. Brown was quickly booked before Stephen Vaughan was replaced by Anthony Barry, Vaughan being ironically cheered by his own fans when being taken off.

Brown's effort was kept out easily by Danby before Taylor flattened both Hone and Burch when trying to win the ball. Wilson came close to scoring an impressive consolation for the hosts as he hit the bar from 30 yards.

Neither side managed another decent chance and the Imps had secured their first away win since last season.

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