Sheffield were deserved winners scoring seven tries to three. For an hour the home side held them, but then the visitors’ pack took control. Their driving play delivered three close range tries, first by hooker Rhodri Campbell, second by lock Ryan Burrows, and finally by fullback George Castledine with a strong outside break.

Sheffield began brightly, running from deep, and after 25 minutes built a 10-3 lead. First, Chester got caught narrow creating an overlap for left wing Chris Hooper. Then hooker Rhodri Campbell scored from a driven lineout. Chester had kicked loosely and hardly seen the ball. The second quarter saw more ebb and flow. A turnover in the Sheffield 22 allowed prop Josh Woods to score. Then Chester took the lead following a Morgan Bagshaw penalty. Sheffield came back with a fine try from centre Will Smith beating two defenders to score. On half-time Chester centre Ben Ivory crashed over, from a long ball over a lineout.

A closely fought second half seemed on the cards and so it was for 18 minutes, with an exchange of tries – a second for Sheffield’s Smith and a reply from Chester’s Dave Jones. But then the visitors‘ pack took over.

Final Score: 31-43

Half time Score: 20-15

Scorers:

Chester –

Tries Woods (28 mins.), Ivory (40 mins.), Jones (55 mins.)

Conversions Bagshaw (29 mins.,40 mins.)

Penalties Bagshaw (21 mins., 34 mins.), Tomlinson (47 mins, 69 mins.)

Drop goals

Sheffield

Tries Hooper (16 mins.), Hicklin (23 mins), Smith (34 mins., 45 mins.), Campbell (58 mins.), Burrows (66 mins.), Castledine (77 mins.)

Conversions Posa (46 mins., 59 mins., 67 mins., 78 mins.)

Penalties