Chester FC 0 Altrincham 2

ALTRINCHAM got the festive season off on a high note with a well-earned victory at their Cheshire neighbours.

Rain had started to fall before kick off and, during the match, it turned to sleet then heavy snow.

Fortunately the snow did not settle until after the game but the players deserved credit for completing the match in poor conditions.

Chester started the better but a magnificent save by restored Alty keeper, Stuart Coburn, from John Rooney's free kick thwarted the hosts.

After that Chester were relatively toothless as the Altrincham back four kept them at bay. And it was Alty's two central defenders who had the luxury of getting forward to score both goals.

The first arrived after 25 minutes when a foul on Cavanagh gave Altrincham a free kick just inside the Chester half. Captain Shaun Densmore's free kick was well struck and found Tom Marshall who headed firmly home.

Altrincham escaped a strong penalty appeal shortly before half time when James went down under a heavy challenge in the Alty box.

And it was Marshall's defensive partner, Gianluca Havern, who got the second, just before the hour mark.

He timed his run perfectly to head home James Lawrie's left-wing corner. It was the defender's first goal of the campaign.

The corner had been won when Ryan Crowther's goal-bound shot had been deflected by a defender.

Chester rarely looked like getting back into the game after that, despite plenty of possession in the latter stages.

A measure of Altrincham's excellent performance, in which Peter Cavanagh excelled, was that the win and a clean sheet were achieved without injured striker Damian Reeves and midfielder Sean Williams.

Chester come to the J. Davidson Stadium for the return fixture on New Year's Day (3pm).

ALTRINCHAM: Coburn, Densmore (capt), Havern, Marshall, Griffin, Cavanagh, Moult, Richman, Crowther, Lawrie, Perry. Subs: Parton, Gillespie, Leather, Clee and Wilkinson.