Chester City scored four goals in six second-half minutes as they stunned Fulham by winning 5-0 at Craven Cottage this afternoon.
The Whites dominated the first half but Kenny Achampong and Dean Coney were denied by fine saves from Billy Stuart either side of the interval. Chester, who began the afternoon with just one win in their last eleven away matches, soaked up that pressure and took the lead eleven minutes after half time through midfielder John Kelly’s thunderous 20-yard strike after being set up by former Bournemouth midfielder Milton Graham.
Hackney-born Graham, who played for Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur as a schoolboy, got the scoresheet himself by latching onto a through ball from Graham Barrow to double the lead in 74th minute. Graham then returned the favour, setting up Barrow for the third a minute later, and top scorer Gary Bennett added a fourth with nine minutes remaining. Kelly rounded off the scoring seconds later by scoring his second from a smart pass by substitute Peter Houghton.
City’s new assistant manager, Derek Fazackerley, savoured a league debut to remember. He told the press after the final whistle: “I was beginning to feel a little frustrated after joining the club on New Year’s Eve and not having got to make my league debut. But this worth waiting for. It is true that Fulham dominated the first half. But we kept our discipline and our goalkeeper made two good saves, either side of half time. If either had gone in, things would have been different for us.”
FULHAM: Vaughan; Oakes, Gore, Cottington, Marshall, Kerrins, Scott, Hoddy, Barnett (Donnellan 61), Achampong, Coney.
CHESTER CITY: Stuart; Abel, Fazackerley, Woodthorpe, Howard, Butler, Rimmer (Houghton 79), Barrow, Bennett, Graham, Kelly.
GOALS: Kelly (56, 82), Graham (74), Barrow (75), Bennett (81).
ATTENDANCE: 3,067.
