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Two evenly matched sides played out a hard fought game this evening in Nottinghamshire. The first half ended honours even after an opening period of Chester dominance gave way to the Stags pushing forwards later in the half. The second half in contrast fell Citys ways, inevitably after going a goal behind. Luck was on their side for once, with a the woodwork assisting Gillet at one end whilst McNiven ansd Asamoah brought the points home in front of the travelling City fans.
Chester had a good chance in the opening minute of play. Ben Davies took a free kick in the right hand channel which was initially cleared but came back in to Asamoah whose 6 yard shot forced a good save from Pressman to push the ball past his right hand post for a corner. Davies took the corner but it was cleared without goalmouth incident.
Chester were pushing forwards well and a move involving Lowe Blundell and Davies resulted in a corner for the Blues in the 8th minute. Once again though the Mansfield defence headed clear.
There was a moment of danger for City in the 14th minute when Uhlenbeek in the right hand channel crossed a high ball into the middle for Danny Reet. Luke Dimech was there though for City to block his shot.
Midway through the half the Stags started finding their game and dangerman Danny Reet received a good ball in the right hand channel but found Gillet alert as ever to block his shot. Minutes later though and more pressure from the Stags saw Barker attempting to lob the ball over Gillet at an acute angle. He was off target though and the ball fell to Danny Reet only feet from goal and right on the touchline, however he ended up finding the side netting rather than the goal to the relief of the away fans behind the goal.
It was the home side in control of the game by this point and a neat set piece from a free kick on 30 minutes saw the ball played out to Barker with a clear line of site around the wall. Gillet was well placed though and made a fairly routine save from Barker's shot.
Mansfield won a corner 5 minutes before the break when Giles Coke sent Adam Rundle on a good run down the left hand side, forcing McNiven to intervene. The corner was headed clear by City but only as far as Coke who fired in a shot which went well wide.
City should have taken the lead on 43 minutes after a misunderstanding in the Mansfield defence allowed Lowe to steal the ball and fire in a powerful volley. His shot was way off target though, sailing high and right of goal.
Chester started the second half well with a corner in the 46th minute. Ben Davies played it short but it was played back to him and he sent a high cross towards the far post. How Mansfield kept the ball out is a miracle, first John-Baptiste blocked an Artell header then a second effort from Drummond was also somehow cleared off the line.
Mansfield were still getting forward well too and took the lead in the 51st minute. Giles Coke fed the ball out to Adam Rundle in the left hand channel. He in turn played a perfectly weighted pass towards the box where Danny Reet ran on to it and fired it home from close range.
City came straight back at Mansfield though with a superb equaliser only 3 minutes later. Scott McNiven played a neat one-two with Gregg Blundell and fired the ball home from 25 yards out in front of the delighted City travelling support.
Mansfield were reduced to ten men in 66 minutes following two quick yellow cards for Richard Barker, both for dissent. Minutes later, city took the lead. It came from a free kick in the right hand channel from Ben Davies, which was directed goalwards by Asamoah with a first touch header from close range giving Pressman no chance.
The Stags should have equalised on 82 minutes when substitute Adam Birchall managged to wrong-foot Gillet and fire an unchallenged ball towards goal. It seemed to defy the laws of physics though, coming off both the underside of the crossbar and the left hand post before drifting wide.
City were trying to stall the game and play out for a 2-1 win but they didn't get it all their own way. Giles Coke could have brought the home side level right on the 90 minute mark, shooting goalwards from a Buxton cross. Then in injury time Stephen Dawson fired in a superb 30 yard shot which seriously tested Gillet. The Chester shot-stopper mananged to parry the ball away at full stretch along the goal line.
So City end their barren run with a good win against Keith Curle's former side. The side have found renewed confidence from somewhere at last, starting at Bristol on Saturday and finally, finally, bringing home the points on a cold Tuesday evening in Nottinghamshire. Good work, City.
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Ryan Lowe fired Chester's best chance of the first half wide in the 44th minute after latching on to a poor Jon Olav Hjelde clearance but the game sparked into life after the break. Dave Artell and Stuart Drummond both had headers cleared off the line following a goal mouth scramble but Mansfield took the lead against the run of play in the 51st minute.
Reet latched onto an Adam Rundle cross to turn home at the far post but Scott McNiven, one of six ex-Staggs in Chester's squad for the game, equalised three minutes later with an edge of the area rocket shot.
Richie Barker was sent off for two fouls in two minutes amidst furious scenes from both sets of players just after the hour mark.
Ben Davies' 30-yard free kick was met by Derek Asamoah and his looping header drooped under the cross bar to give Chester a 69th minute lead.
Stephen Dawson came close twice and Adam Birchall hit the crossbar as 10-man Mansfield battled but Chester hung on to claim the win.