Stalemate in Battle of Cheshire

Chester City 0 Macclesfield Town 0

Chester City earned another point with a goalless draw against Cheshire rivals Macclesfield Town at the Deva Stadium.

With the Blues having ensured their league status for another season earlier in the week, this was a more relaxed end of season City performance.

City though had the better of the opening exchanges and started the brighter, with visitors Macclesfield electing to try out a couple of youth and fringe players, including 17 year old brother of Wayne Rooney, John.

The Blues should opened the scoring within the first ten minutes when midfielder Richie Partridge scuffed a great change, slotting his shot just over the bar from 10 yards out after being set up well by former Macclesfield Town striker, John Murphy.

The visitors though were unlucky some six minutes later when a fiercely stuck shot from 12 yards by John Rooney ricochetted off the crossbar. What a debut goal that would have been.

With time ticking away in the first half, Kevin Sandwith came close and Murphy's header shaved the paint off the top of the Macclesfield crossbar.

In the second half Chester came out and virtually dominated the game and went on search of a winner. Paul Rutherford created a great chance out of nothing some five minutes into the second half but his curling effort drifted over the bar.

With the game running down, the Blues took the opportunity to blood young debutant Andy Mitchell who was given just over half an hour of action after replacing the tiring Paul Rutherford but just moments later Macclesfield we're fortunate not to find themselves behind.

City really should have scored when livewire winger Richie Partridge cut inside from the right flank to chip a sublime ball only to see the visiting goalkeeper, Jonny Brain, back tracking well to fingertip the ball away from danger.

At the other end goalkeeper John Danby had a quiet game, doing enough to ensure he maintained his third clean sheet in a row.