Turner provides a much-needed spark

Rhys Turner evades a challenge

CHESTER 0, ATHLETIC 1

RHYS Turner’s neat finish was the main highlight of a disjointed opening pre-season friendly which gave Athletic manager Darren Kelly plenty of food for thought.

Turner (19), who scored three times for the club last season, linked with Rhys Murphy before shrugging off a defender, stepping round the home goalkeeper Sam Vince and rolling the ball home in the 73rd minute.

The goal came seconds after Murphy had tamely lobbed wide from the edge of the area.

Other scoring opportunities were rare in an under-cooked contest featuring two sides committed to keeping the ball on the ground but who struggled to find fluidity.

That was perhaps of little surprise considering Athletic sent out virtually two different XIs in both halves, with a total of four trialists involved (see panel).

Carl Winchester and Lee Croft started brightly and the pair linked to open the door for the latter man, whose shot stuck in the turf and dribbled through to ex-Athletic ’keeper Luke Simpson.

Chester, who are aiming for a play-off push in the Vanarama National League next season, were competitive and Joel Coleman watched as Jordan Chapell's inventive chip drifted a couple of feet wide.

In the 35th minute, Athletic wasted two chances in quick succession. First Jake Cassidy – playing the lone striker role effectively – shaped in a cross which trialist winger Alen Ploj rose to head too close to Simpson; then, James Wilson failed to hit the target when he may have scored from Danny Phillsikirk’s centre.

Goalkeeper David Cornell, Athletic’s most recent signing, had a fairly comfortable second half with the probings on the left of Kane Richards providing a headache for on-trial right-back Tom McNamee but not crafting any serious scoring chances.

At the other end, George Green had a few promising driving runs with the ball at his feet.

Kelly spent most of the game quietly observing from in the technical area. With Mike Jones, Jonathan Forte, Connor Brown, Dominic Poleon and Joseph Mills sitting this one out with minor niggles, he won't be overly concerned at Athletic's lack of clear supremacy.

Still, there is plenty to work on in camp in Stirling this week.

Chester: Simpson, Tongue, Hunt, Chappell, Shaw, George, Mahon, Hannah, Thomson, Heneghan, Sharps. Subs: Hughes, Rooney, Higgins, Kay, Peers, Hobson, Richards, Lippitt, Vince, Heath.

Athletic (first half): Coleman; Dieng, J Wilson, Gunning, Truelove; Kelly, Winchester; Croft, Philliskirk, Ploj; Cassidy. (second half): Cornell; McNamee, Edmundson, Gunning (Bove 90), B Wilson; Croft (Tuohy 60), Dieng, Blake; Green, Turner, Murphy.

Referee: Rob Jones.

Att: 1,294.