Stenson's double helps fire Telford to a routine win
Two more Matty Stenson goals propelled AFC Telford United to a convincing 3-1 victory, lifting them to 10th in the National League North table and overtaking their opponents, who started the day a point ahead.
Kevin Wilkin’s team strode into a two-goal lead by the halfway mark, against a Chester side who offered little.
Wilkin had to make one change to the team that triumphed 2-0 at Buxton, with match-winner Adan George sidelined by an injury sustained late in the game at the Silverlands.
Rhys Hilton regained a starting berth, and the Bucks returned to a 4-3-3 formation as a result.
The Bucks looked more assertive from the start, and with only seven minutes gone, they had the lead.
From their second corner, Jordan Cranston surprised Chester with a short corner and Hilton’s shimmy and low ball from the right of the box found Jamie Meddows.
His left-foot shot was deflected en route to the goal, helping it to beat George Murray-Jones to his left.
The Bucks’ comfort in possession contrasted with Chester’s more direct style, but the visiting Seals weren’t performing, feeding off scraps around the edge of the box and Josh Gracey was equal to shots from Connor Woods and Jack Bainbridge.
The home side turned their control of affairs into a second goal after 33 minutes, when Stenson stroked the ball past Murray-Jones and into the keeper’s bottom-left corner from the left of the box.
It took a last-gasp tackle from Dion Kelly-Evans to deny Ammar Dyer as the Bucks opened Chester up again, and Chester boss Callum McIntyre’s ire at his side’s dire showing brought a quadruple half-time substitution.
The quartet introduced produced more energy and urgency and from a corner, the visitors found a way back after 56 minutes.
The ball was headed across goal and with the Bucks wrong-footed, Kevin Roberts stabbed in from close range.
Chester’s sizeable away following was lifted, but their bubble was soon burst when a mix-up between Murray-Jones and a colleague allowed Stenson, breathing down the defender’s neck, to nick the ball away, round the keeper and slot home.
That came on the hour and ended Chester’s brief resistance. More goals could have followed, but the Bucks had enjoyed the main course and left Chester picking over the carcass.
AFC Telford United (4-3-3): Gracey, Dyer, Cranston (Dinanga 90+5), Piggott, Cawthorne, Fletcher, Walker (Armson 79), Leshabela, Hilton (Williams 72), Stenson (Lawal 86), Hilton. Subs not used: Fridye-Harper, Ikpakwu, Lawal, Armson, Dinanga,Williams.
Chester FC: Murray-Jones, Kelly-Evans (Shorrock 46), J. Jones (Woodthorpe 46), Leak, K. Roberts, Weeks, Bainbridge, P. Jones, Peers, Woods (Murray 46), Mottley-Henry (F.Roberts 46). Subs (unused): Davies, Arthur.
