Chester produced their best display of the season to date with a dominant 4-0 victory over Gloucester City at the Deva.

Early goals from Danny Livesey and George Waring had the hosts 2-0 up at the interval, with Brad Jackson smashing home a third soon after the restart before Akwasi Asante's injury-time penalty underlined Chester's dominance.

The Blues took control from the outset and were ahead in fortuitous circumstances after just 53 seconds.

Centre back Livesey took possession just inside the Gloucester half and fired an aerial ball into the box, which caught the wind and sailed over the head of back-pedalling City keeper Zach Jeacock.

After seizing the early initiative Chester went for the jugular and doubled their lead on five minutes with an incisive attacking move that saw the lively Matty Hughes play a measured through ball to

Waring who flashed a left footed effort beyond Jeacock and into the bottom corner.

Mike Cook’s shell-shocked Gloucester side barely laid a glove on the hosts, who were relentless in dominating both territory and possession.

Even with the security of a two-goal cushion, the Blues looked hungry for more.

Brad Jackson typified that tenacity as he continually probed down the right flank, and on 18 minutes his ball into the six yard box found Waring who fired over from an offside position.

Gloucester's incursions into attacking areas proved were a rarity in the opening half, though Fabien Robert almost reduced arrears on 23 minutes when his curling half volley from the edge of the box cannoned off the crossbar and out of play.

Three minutes later and Chester could have been out of sight when they won possession high up the pitch, with the ball played through to the on-running Hughes who raced clear and attempted to find the far corner with the outside of his boot, but his effort flashed inches wide of the upright with Jeacock beaten.

Zack Kotwica almost threw Gloucester a lifeline on 32 minutes after he dispossessed Simon Grand and advanced into the box, but his tame shot was comfortably gathered by Chester stopper Russ Griffiths.

The frantic pace dropped off as the interval approached, with Gloucester growing more composed in possession and Chester seemingly content to retain their two-goal margin.

But the hosts began the second half with the same purpose and intent shown in the first, with full-back Joel Taylor surging down the left and crossing for Hughes, whose downward header was gathered by Jeacock.

Hughes, handed his first start since October 2018 following a serious knee injury, was instrumental in Chester's third on 52 minutes as he jinked into the box and drew a smart stop from Jeacock, with the ball falling to Jackson whose unerring finish found the bottom corner.

Jackson turned provider five minutes later, surging through the centre of midfield before finding Hughes inside the box and his dipping shot was pushed around the post by Jeacock.

Gloucester offered little as an attacking force with their most meaningful effort coming from Joe Hanks' well-struck effort from the edge of the box, which Griffiths smartly tipped over the bar.

Blues bosses Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley rang the changes after the hour mark, with Hughes warmly clapped off the field as he made way for Akwasi Asante.

The introduction of Craig Mahon and Danny Elliott imbued the Chester attack with fresh legs, and the latter came close to notching Chester's fourth when his effort from 10 yards was deflected behind after Gary Roberts had charged down a loose pass.

Operating as the focal point of the Blues attack following the withdrawal of Dudley and Waring, Dutch striker Asante sought to make an impact but was limited to one late strike from distance which sailed over the Gloucester bar.

The Blues looked comfortable in the closing stages, as they had for much of the game, and wrapped up their second league victory of the season when Asante fired home from the spot in injury-time after Elliott had been brought down inside the box.