Chester 3 Darlington 1 

Scorer: Asante (27 mins, 1-0, 48 mins 2-0, 70 mins 3-1), Wheatley (56 mins, 2-1)

Attendance 1934 (229 Darlo)

Quakers' six game unbeaten run came to an end at the Deva Stadium, courtesy of a hat trick by Chester debutant Akwasi Asante.

The former Grimsby player scored a perfect hat trick -- head, left foot, right foot -- as Quakers struggled to cope with him.

Quakers started with a 4-2-3-1 with Liam Hughes in midfield ,and Tom Elliott at left back.

Chester had the first chance on 6 minutes, a free kick swung in by Dan Mooney on the left and headed over by Steve Howson.

Anthony Dudley got on to the end of a through ball by Mooney, but keeper Jonny Maddison came out well and blocked at his feet for a corner.

From the corner, the ball came out to Craig Mahon, who had a right foot shot deflected just wide of the left hand post.

Quakers weathered that opening, and had some good possession without getting into the Chester box.

Quakers won a corner on 19 minutes that Terry Galbraith curled in, but  nobody could get on the end of it and the ball was headed away by a defender a couple of yards out.

Quakers went behind on 27 minutes when a cross came in from the left from Mahon, and debutant Akwasi Asante found space and headed into the bottom left hand corner.

But Chester were reduced to 10 men on 32 minutes, when Mooney, who had already been booked for hauling back Jordan Nicholson,  was shown his second yellow for a foul on Joe Wheatley, as he was trying to break away.

Tommy switched to three centre halves, with Hughes dropping back, and Elliott going into midfield alongside Joe Wheatley

Half time:

Chester 1 Darlington 0

Quakers went 2-0 down on 48 minutes when Asante turned quickly on the right corner of the box, wrongfooted two defenders, and then curled a left foot shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.

Asante nearly got another, when he got to a right wing free kick, but his header was cleared off the line by Jonny Burn.

Quakers pulled a goal back on 56 minutes. Tom Elliott had a right foot shot saved, but Quakers regained possession, and Joe Wheatley hit a terrific right foot shot from 25 yards into the bottom left hand corner of the net, his first goal of the season.

The goal boosted Quakers, and they had a chance when Henshall’s cross was cleared as far as Nicholson, who fired left footed over the top.

But just as it looked as if Quakers might get an equaliser, Chester went 3-1 up on 70 minutes.

Henshall’s left wing cross was cleared at the near post, and that allowed Chester to break through Dudley who found Asante, who checked on to his right foot and fired across Maddison into the net.

Quakers had some good pressure in the closing minutes, but didn't produce a goal.

Tom Elliott made a good run into the Chester box and set up Nicholson, whose left foot shot was saved by Shenton.

Luke Trotman got into the area from a Thompson pass , but fired wide.

Wheatley’s shot from 25 yards took a deflection ,looped in the air and Shenton touched the ball over the top.

Final: Chester 3 Darlington 1.

Darlington:  Maddison, Trotman, Galbraith (O’Hanlon 57), Burn, Elliott;  Hughes, Wheatley; Henshall (sub Lingthep 90), Nicholson, Thompson; Saunders

Subs: Hall, Glover, Stansfield

Bookings: Thompson, Elliott

Chester City:  Shenton, Thomson, Grand, Livesey, Howson;  Mooney, Noble, Stopforth, Mahon (Marsh-Hughes 89); Asante (sub Smalley 80), Dudley (sub Dawson 90+3),

Subs:   Brown, Murray,

Booking: Stopforth, Mahon, Mooney

Sending off Mooney

Attendance 1934