A disciplined and well-organised display earned Chester their first point of the 2019/20 National League North campaign with a 1-1 draw at Boston United.

The Blues had to come from a goal down in the contest after Simon Grand put through his own net with a skewed clearance from Jordan Thewlis' shot.

Parity was deservedly restored almost immediately though, with George Waring heading home six minutes before the interval.

With the rigours of pre-season over, both teams looked fresh and energised in the early stages.

There were early attacking incursions at both ends of the York Street ground, with Chester going close to an opener on three minutes when Waring's ball found Anthony Dudley just inside the box and his low effort was pushed around the post by Boston stopper Peter Crook.

Brad Jackson typified the Blues' frenetic workrate from the outset, but his over-enthusiasm saw him booked for a late challenge inside five minutes.

There was an early warning for the Blues when United winger Jay Rollins tore down the right flank and headed for goal before Joel Taylor intervened with a timely block.

Chester went close again on 17 minutes when Jackson's ball down the line freed Danny Elliott who cut inside and let fly with a left-footed effort which Crook repelled.

Elliott showed plenty of attacking endeavour, but fell foul of the referee when he petulantly backheeled the ball away following a narrow offside call and was summarily booked.

Chester's back four had looked compact for the opening half hour, with their central pairing of Danny Livesey and Grand flanked by industrious full-backs Joel Taylor and Kevin Roberts.

But their hard work was undone on 38 minutes when United's Jordan Thewlis burst into the box and fired goalwards with Grand slicing his attempted clearance beyond Blues stopper Russ Griffiths.

United's lead lasted barely a minute though, with Chester drawing level as Waring rose highest to meet Jackson's cross and the Blues striker planted his header into the far corner of the net.

Tempers flared just before the interval when Taylor was scythed down on the touchline by United midfielder Brad Abbott.

The referee waved the protests away as play continued, with Chester's Gary Roberts booked for dissent in the aftermath.

Despite edging the first half, Chester struggled to break through the tight lines of Craig Elliott's side after the break.

Some positive play down Boston's left hand side culminated in Rollins heading into the ground and wide from Tom Platt's cross, with the United midfielder well-placed.

Chester's attacking fluency dropped as the game grew increasingly ragged, with Dudley lashing wide from the edge of the box from a Blues throw-in.

Former Blues Shaun Tuton and George Green were introduced from the United bench as the hosts sought to inject some urgency into their attack.

Blues managers Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley also looked for some renewed impetus with Craig Mahon and Matty Hughes replacing Jackson and Waring respectively.

Neither were able to conjure a winner, however, as the game descended into an attritional midfield battle.

And the visitors showed their defensive mettle when it mattered, when a last-minute corner caused havoc inside the Chester six yard box before the ball was smuggled away from danger by a sea of blue shirts.