Chester FC: Reborn club win third straight promotion

Chester have returned to the top tier of non-league football after winning the Blue Square Bet North title.

Lewis Turner's early second-half goal was enough to beat Boston in front of a crowd of 3,685 at the Deva Stadium.

With nearest rivals Guiseley losing 1-0 at Brackley, that sealed promotion.

Following Chester City's liquidation with two months of the 2009-10 Conference season to go, the reborn club they spawned have now reached the same fifth tier of English football.

Chester have now won the title three seasons running under manager Neil Young.

After starting their new life in the Evo-Stik League Division One North in August 2010, they eventually won that only on goal difference from Skelmersdale United, losing just five of their 44 matches, scoring 107 goals.

They then scored 102 goals in 42 games, losing only four times, to win the Evo-Stik Premier by 17 points from nearest challengers Northwich Victoria in 2011-12.

This season, they have lost just once in 38 games to reach 103 points, to lead second-placed Guiseley by 21 points.

Saturday's 10th straight league win for Young's men means that they are now unbeaten in 28 matches, in all competitions.

And, if they win at Guiseley on Saturday, they will be unbeaten in 31 league matches - equalling a club record set back in the 1931/32 season, their first season in the Football League.

Their only league defeat came at Boston back on 15 September, since when they have suffered disappointment only in the FA Cup third qualifying round, at Halifax, and in the FA Trophy, also in a third qualifying round tie at Worksop on 14 November.

The fan-owned club average crowds of 2,540 at the Deva, where they have won 18 of their 20 home games, being held only by Bradford Park Avenue and Brackley.

In the season when they were finally thrown out of the Conference in February 2010, for failing to fulfil first team fixtures, home gates had slumped to well under 1,000.