CHESTER underlined their battling qualities last night with a thrilling comeback to earn a deserved share of the spoils.
The Blues bravely clawed their way back from 3-0 down after 30 minutes before digging deep to erase their shaky opening half performance.
Two goals in the space of four minutes put Chester on the backfoot during the early exchanges, and they trailed 3-0 on the half hour, but the Blues fought hard towards the end of the half and reduced their arrears with a bullet header from Michael Wilde two minutes before the break.
Wilde crashed home Chester’s second goal eight minutes after the break, and Mark Connolly equalised in the 80th minute from a left-sided corner kick.
United’s top goalscorer from last season, Michael Norton, had broken the deadlock after just five minutes with a first-time six yard shot that found the bottom left corner after Jerome Wright had impressed with a turn of pace along the left flank before delivering a pinpoint cross.
Iain Howard was presented with an opportunity to level matters a minute later when he found himself in a one-on-one situation with visiting keeper Zach Hibbert who pulled off a superb save.
But United doubled their advantage in the eighth minute when Norton’s lob beat Chester keeper Richard Whiteside and rebounded off the bar to find Ben Deegan who controlled the ball before steering his low strike into the bottom right corner of the net.
Howard attempted to reduce the deficit in the 10th minute, but his close range header from Mark Connolly’s right wing cross was nodded over the target.
United bounced back with a series of threatening manouevres including a 19th minute move initiated by Wright on the left side of the area who forced Whiteside into a fisted clearance.
But Chester continued to battle and Wilde nearly profited from a loose back pass when he seized possession but saw his high attempted lob fly over Hibbert and the bar.
Connolly’s long throw in the 25th minute picked out Wilde whose free header from eight yards was steered wide of the far post.
And Wilde’s hard working display was underlined in the 28th minute when he found Mark Peers on the right, but the midfielder just failed in his bid to locate Howard on the far post with a deep cross.
United extended their advantage in the 30th minute when Deegan beat the Blues’ offside trap and raced beyond defender Danny Meadowcroft before finding the bottom right corner of the net with his 10 yard shot.
But Chester provided themselves with fresh hope two minutes before the break when Peers’ free kick from the left touchline was headed home unchallenged from close range by Wilde.
Chester started the second half by introducing substitute Rob Hopley in the front line as a replacement for Chris Williams.
Chester deservedly pulled themselves back into the game in the 53rd minute when Howard burst into the area and blasted a fierce eight yard shot which Hibbert failed to hold and Wilde was on hand to rifle his five yard effort into the roof of the net.
United survived the scare of loud penalty appeals from Blues fans in the Harry McNally Stand a minute later when Peers was floored by Jake Cottrell, but referee James Madine ignored the appeals.
Substitute Carlos Roca saw his 59th minute shot deflected wide of the left post, and Deegan connected with a header seconds later as the visitors continued to press.
Chester countered in the 65th minute when substitute Anthony Sheehan saw his 25 yard volley fisted clear by Hibbert, and Connolly’s powerful strike from the left edge of the area flew fractionally wide of the right post.
But Chester levelled matters to complete a thrilling fightback 10 minutes from time when Connolly’s left sided corner was fumbled by Ashton and the ball found the net.
And the Blues could have clinched victory in the dying seconds when the ball fell to Burgess 20 yards from goal who smashed his low shot just wide of the right post.
CHESTER (4-4-2): Whiteside; Williams (Hopley 45), Horan (Meadowcroft 8), Stones, Aspin (Sheehan 64); Howard, Graves Connolly, Peers (Sharrock 68); Wilde (Macauley 73), Burgess.
Subs (not used): Oldfield.
FC UNITED OF MANCHESTER (4-4-2): Hibbert (Ashton 45); Jacobs (Roca 45), Neville, Cottrell, Parker; McManus, Ovington, Platt, Wright; Norton, Deegan.
Subs (not used): Chadwick, Ashton, Monroe, Holden, Ayres, Browne.
Referee: James Madine.
Attendance: 1,762 (329 from FC United of Manchester).