Matt Richards's 85th minute goal game Town a 1-0 victory over Chester and took the Blues through to round four of the FA Cup and a home tie against Swansea City. Jim Magilton's side made heavy weather of beating the League Two team with the game looking destined for extra-time until Richards struck.

With Jason De Vos and Owen Garvan injured and David Wright unavailable, Magilton was forced to make changes. Fabian Wilnis was recalled at right-back, Jaime Peters on the right of midfield and Danny Haynes was given a start alongside Alan Lee up front. E.ON's sponsorship of both the Blues and the competition meant that the FA Cup was present for the game and paraded on the pitch at half-time.

Town started brightly and might have gone in front in the fifth minute after good work from Peters and Wilnis down the right. The Canadian sent in a low ball to Haynes but the striker missed his kick when well placed.

On eight, Chester's Gregg Blundell had the ball in the Town net, but the Blues defence had already stopped due to referee Kevin Friend pulling play back for a mysterious Chester freekick on the edge of the box. Sean Hessey hammered his strike into the Town wall.

The bright and lively Peters teed up Haynes again in the ninth minute but the striker lost control of the ball with a poor first touch and the danger was cleared. Soon after, Peters shot wide from 20 yards.

Lee headed a Roberts corner across the face of goal, then Williams hit the wall with a freekick. Lee had won that kick and gained another soon after, Roberts hitting the top of the crossbar.

Just before the half hour, James Hand hit a 30-yard screamer only just wide of Lewis Price's goal, prior to Sylvain Legwinski flicking a Roberts corner wide.

Chester's Phil Bolland prevented an almost certain Danny Haynes goal in the 32nd minute, blocking from the striker after a run and cross from Peters on the right. From the corner, Dean Bennett headed the ball sideways against his own keeper but the ball fell safely and was cleared.

Roberts, who by now had swapped flanks with Peters, curled a freekick over after protracted discussions between referee Friend and Chester captain Roberto Martinez over the position of the wall, Lee having been fouled once again.

With three minutes of the opening period remaining, Alex Bruce's attempt at putting the ball out of play forced Lewis Price into a sharp save, the only real stop the Town keeper made during the first half.

The Blues probably should have gone ahead early on through Haynes and created a number of other chances but without ever looking entirely comfortable against a determined but limited Chester side.

Sylvain Legwinski made way for Matt Richards at the break, the former academy player taking over in the middle of midfield. Peters returned to the right and Roberts to the left.

On 50 a Richards header sent Peters away on the right, the Canadian forcing keeper Danby to parry with a well hit effort but sending the rebound high and wide.

There was an altercation between Price and Bruce three minutes later when the keeper failed to come for a ball and the defender somewhat rashly headed back to him under pressure from Blundell. Angry words were spoken and the keeper pushed the former Birmingham man in the chest. Within a minute, Haynes hit a shot on the turn wide of the Chester goal.

It had been a disappointing start to the half by the Blues who were making little impact against Mark Wright's side.

On 66 referee Kevin Friend, who had been so desperate to wave his cards at Plymouth earlier in the season, showed the first of the evening to keeper Danby for a reckless lunge on Haynes outside his area but not in a goalscoring position. Soon after, Martinez joined him for the latest in a succession of fouls on Fabian Wilnis.

Wilnis was to receive even worse treatment from David Artell in the 72nd minute, the defender flying into him at knee height and leaving the Dutchman in a crumpled heap. Some referees might have shown a straight red card, but Friend, a pale imitation of the despotic official Town endured at Home Park in October, waved only a yellow.

Danby saved Roberts's low freekick on 75, but the Chester keeper was having a generally quiet half. A minute later, Clarke replaced Haynes.

The game looked destined for 30 minutes more tedium when Roberts played the ball left to Richards 25 yards out and the substitute drove a low shot through a couple of defenders and into the corner of Danby's net.

Alex Bruce received a yellow card in the closing stages for a minor dist-up, this time with the opposition, and now misses the fourth round tie with Swansea and the Championship game at Stoke, having amassed 10 bookings this season.

There was one scare for the Blues in injury time, Walters failing to reach Blundell's low ball in from the right.

Hardly a dominant, confidence-inspiring performance from Town and many of the 11,732 who bothered to turn up will have wished they'd remained at home. Too many players seemed to want to play for themselves rather than the team, with the notable exception of Jaime Peters, who put in a lively display until tiring in the second half.

Fabian Wilnis, probably playing one of the last home games of his eight years with Town, put in the sort of performance which raised questions as to why he has been out of the picture for so much of the season up to now.

The Blues will have to be significantly better than this to improve their league position during the second half of the season or progress beyond Swansea into the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Town: Price, Wilnis, Harding, Naylor, Bruce, Legwinski (Richards 46), Williams, Roberts, Peters, Lee, Haynes (Clarke 76). Unused: Supple, Brittain, Casement. Att: 11.732.

Photo: Action Images

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