Chester picked up their first win of the National League North campaign with a 2-1 success over Farsley Celtic at the Deva.

Second half goals from the impressive Brad Jackson and George Waring had the hosts 2-0 up in the contest, before Will Hayhurst's 79th minute penalty put them back in the game.

But there was no denying Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley's men, who controlled possession and created more than their Yorkshire visitors.

Newly-promoted Celtic had impressed since joining the division, taking four points from former Football League sides Darlington and York in their opening two games.

But Chester ended that unbeaten sequence with a determined performance in difficult playing conditions at The Deva.

The opening stages of the Blues' second home game in a week were hit by the same swirling winds that had blighted their clash with Altrincham four days earlier.

Aerial balls proved difficult to read with several simple forward passes being mis-judged in the inclement August conditions.

On seven minutes, Blues full-back Kevin Roberts produced a more measured delivery from deep on the right flank, which Celtic defender Jordan Richards headed clear with Blues striker Waring lurking.

Two Celtic corners in quick succession then tested the home defence, with Daniel Ellis heading wide of the target after losing his marker.

Left-back Joel Taylor was a willing runner down the flank throughout the first half, and on 17 minutes he surged into the box before seeing his low driven effort turned around the post by Celtic keeper Elliott Wynne.

Only the woodwork prevented Chester from going ahead two minutes later when Danny Livesey thundered a header against the crossbar from Gary Roberts' cross.

Hesitation from Chester keeper Russ Griffiths then allowed Celtic striker Jimmy Spencer to seize upon a loose ball inside the box and chip goalwards, but he saw his lofted effort headed off the line by Livesey.

A lack of quality in the final third at each end of the pitch hamstrung the attacking efforts of both sides, but the Blues came agonizingly close to an elusive opener on 37minutes and it was no surprise that it came from a set-piece.

Taylor's well-placed corner had sufficient power to reach an unmarked Kevin Roberts whose header struck the post and rebounded out of play.

Farsley could also have broken the deadlock just before the interval when Jack Higgins was unable to bundle the ball home from close range after Ellis' flick-on cause a scramble in the Chester box.

An energised Blues side went straight on the attack after the restart and were rewarded immediately when Taylor's inswinging delivery was mis-controlled by Waring but fell to midfielder Jackson who lashed the ball beyond Wynne and into the roof of the net.

With more urgency now instilled into their attacking play Kevin Roberts' deep cross to the far post almost reached the diving Craig Mahon.

Sustained pressure on the Celtic goal was rewarded on 63 minutes when Jackson tore down the right wing and crossed low for Waring, who took a touch before slotting into the bottom corner from six yards.

The 2-0 lead was no more than Chester's efforts deserved after Celtic had struggled to impose themselves as they had in the first half.

But Adam Lakeland's visitors came close to reducing arrears when Will Hayhurst's curling free-kick from 20 yards out was superbly tipped over the bar by Griffiths.

The Yorkshire club were thrown a lifeline on 79 minutes when Blues substitute Scott Burton clumsily brought down Paul Walker on the edge of the six-yard box.

Despite seeing their advantage halved, there were no signs of nervousness among the Blues players in the closing stages.

There was almost a third for the hosts in the final five minutes when Taylor hoofed clear from his own half and the wind-assisted effort sent Wynne scurrying backwards to scoop the ball off the line.

They went even closer in injury-time when Jackson burst clear and bore down on goal before he was thwarted by Wynne, with substitute Danny Elliott somehow putting the rebound over the bar with the goal at his mercy.