Coca Cola League 2

STOCKPORT County have unearthed a real gem in Liam Dickinson.

The young hit-man's two quality goals on Saturday won a crucial game for the Hatters as they heroically continue their resurgence under Jim Gannon.

With David Beharall making his debut at the heart of the defence, and Tes Bramble returning from suspension, it was County who caught the first sight of goal on seven minutes.

Chester defender Sean Hessey made a mess of a header back to his goalkeeper, Bramble nipped in, but he couldn't quite steer his shot on target.

A hectic opening saw Chester skipper Scott McNiven shoot straight at James Spencer, while County responded when Keith Briggs watched his angled drive saved by Stephane Gillet.

Bramble thought he had opened County's account on 16 minutes, but an unintentional handball just before the big man fired the ball home meant referee Mr Foy ruled the effort out.

If that was unlucky, County were genuinely denied minutes later when Mark Robinson flicked the ball to Adam Griffin and the little left-footer rammed a sweet shot against the crossbar. However, it was by no means all one-way traffic as Chester twice went close through Stewart Drummond and Gregg Blundell.

Bramble was making a real nuisance of himself in the opening half, and on 36 minutes he simply barged his way past two defenders before shooting narrowly wide from 20 yards.

County skipper Matt Hamshaw saw two shots blocked by the brave Carl Regan as the visitors sought to finally break the deadlock, but alarm bells then rang at the other end as Beharall cleared straight into the path of Derek Asamoah. However, the tiny striker fired a low shot inches wide.

After a stale start, the second half burst into life on 55 minutes. County were first to show when Griffin teed up Liam Dickinson, but the youngster was thwarted by a superb point-blank save from Gillet.

Then, almost out of nowhere, Chester's Ben Davies let fly from some 25 yards, but his piledriver bounced down off the crossbar and thankfully away from the danger zone.

Asamoah saw a snapshot superbly saved by Spencer, then his replacement, Michael Branch, should have at least got his shot on target from just 12 yards.

The goal County were so desperately craving finally came on 76 minutes through that man Dickinson again. He had no right to win a hopeful ball forward, but he somehow sneaked past Hessey before cheekily prodding the ball home from an acute angle.

The travelling army went bananas, but their joy didn't last as three minutes later substitute Ryan Lowe took a flick-on and buried a clinical low shot to beat Spencer's despairing dive.

However, Dickinson's rasping finish as stoppage time approached, following a measured Briggs through-ball, ensured the short journey home was to be a memorable one.

• COUNTY: Spencer, Clare, Robinson, Allen (Wolski, 69), Williams A, Hamshaw (Malcolm, 77), Briggs, Bramble, Beharall, Dickinson, Griffin (Singh, 62). Subs not used: Howarth, Le Fondre. Star man: Liam Dickinson.

• CHESTER CITY: Gillet, Blundell (Lowe, 56), Tait, Drummond, Davies, Walker, Asamoah (Branch, 61), McNiven, Regan, Artell, Hessey. Subs not used: Vaughan S, El-Khoti, Vaughan J.

Att: 3,446.

Ref: Chris Foy (Merseyside).

Tweet