Warrington Town vs Chester

A goalless first half offered little in the way of clear-cut chances. The contest was largely played in the central third under the Warrington sunshine, with Chester's Connor Woods — a former Warrington player — looking lively down the right flank without finding a decisive final ball.

The first real sight of goal came when Joe Rodwell-Grant took aim from outside the box, only for Declan Weeks to block. Billy Waters came close to a shot inside the six-yard box as the interval approached, but Lewis Earl snuffed out the danger and the sides turned around at 0–0.

Chester manager Phil Parkinson made 11 changes before the hour mark, introducing a completely different outfield XI, and the fresh legs immediately shifted the momentum.

The breakthrough arrived on 65 minutes. A strong run from Trialist E carved open the Warrington defence, and Sam Reed, operating on the right of a front three, poked a clever finish past Mateusz Hewelt into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later, Chester goalkeeper Alex Brown was called into action for the first time, getting down well to deny a well-directed volley from Kai Murphy.

Nathan Woodthorpe doubled the lead on 72 minutes with a strike of real quality. After neat interplay between Jacob Hazel, Harry Deakin and Dan Ward, the ball broke to Woodthorpe around 25 yards out, and the left-back powered a strike into the corner.

Chester managed the remainder of the game in comfortable fashion, never allowing Warrington a route back into the contest.

Parkinson's mass substitution just before the hour mark flipped the game. The first half had been a tepid, midfield-heavy affair with neither side able to create meaningful openings. The wholesale changes — 11 in total — brought pace, movement and intent, and within five minutes of the new XI settling, Chester had the lead. In pre-season friendlies, fitness and squad assessment are the priority, but the contrast in energy between the two halves was stark.

Sam Reed (Chester) — Took his goal with composure, showing good movement to get on the end of Trialist E's run. A bright audition for a starting role when the National League North season begins.

Nathan Woodthorpe (Chester) — The left-back's 25-yard strike was the standout moment of the match. Combined well with Ward and Deakin in the build-up and looked solid defensively.

Connor Woods (Chester) — The former Warrington man was the most dangerous player in the first half, linking regularly with Billy Waters down the right. His familiarity with the opposition showed.

Mateusz Hewelt (Warrington Town) — Little he could do about either goal, but kept the scoreline respectable with consistent handling. The new signing faces a busy pre-season after joining as one of seven new additions at Cantilever Park.

The provider data records two goals from a second half that yielded all the match's decisive action. The first half produced zero goals, and Chester's 11 changes at half-time make per-game statistics unreliable for deeper comparison. The pattern is clear, though: Parkinson's second XI imposed themselves on a Warrington side that had largely kept the Blues' first XI at bay.

This was Chester's third pre-season friendly and their first win, following a 2–0 defeat to League One side Fleetwood Town on 14 July. The Blues continue their preparations for the Enterprise National League North season, which begins away at Chorley on 8 August. Next up is a home fixture against Championship side Stoke City at the Deva Community Stadium on Tuesday 21 July (19:45).

For Warrington Town, managed by Paul Carden, this was their first home friendly of the summer. The Yellows — who finished 14th in the Northern Premier League Premier Division last season — host Macclesfield at Cantilever Park on Tuesday 21 July (19:45) before further tests against Southport, Marine and Buxton.

A functional pre-season workout for Chester, decided by superior depth and a moment of quality from Woodthorpe. The first half offered little for either side, but Parkinson will be encouraged by how his second-string XI took control after the break. Warrington competed well for 65 minutes but lacked the cutting edge to test the visitors consistently.