THERE was no Christmas Day hangover from Chester’s players who supplied their travelling fans with plenty of festive cheer with a 3-1 at Southport.

A dominant and convincing display saw the visitors come from behind in the clash after former Blues defender Ryan Astles had put Southport ahead.

George Waring had Chester level before the break, before second half strikes from Akwasi Asante and a stunner from Gary Roberts sealed a deserved three points at Haig Avenue.

Despite the impressive manner of his side’s latest victory, Blues joint-manager Bernard Morley has demanded the same standards from his side across the whole festive period.

He said: “I’ve just said to the lads you can’t enjoy that result tonight because they’ve got to go and do it again on Saturday and then Wednesday and then Saturday again.

“We’re working towards something here and you will have little hiccups along the way, as we did last Saturday.

“But we’ve put it right today and we’ve got to make sure we take the momentum from today’s game into Curzon Ashton.

“We can’t become complacent and we’ve got to make sure we do the right things between now and then.”

The hosts, who leapfrogged Chester into third place in the National League North standings last weekend, entered the contest in fine form.

Liam Watson’s men had won each of their last four league outings and now look well-established as play-off contenders this term.

Chester endured a miserable 3-0 Boxing Day defeat in last season’s corresponding fixture but avenged it in style.

Blues bosses Morley and Anthony Johnson made three changes to the side who played out a dour goalless draw against Telford United six days earlier.

Jamie Morgan was drafted in at right-back for Kevin Roberts, with Gary Stopforth and George Waring preferred ahead of Elton Ngwatala and Anthony Dudley respectively.

The visitors began the game with purpose though, with Joel Taylor’s lofted cross from the left flank eluding Southport keeper Charles Albinson and hitting the inside of the post.

The loose ball fell to Gary Stopforth whose half volley was well blocked.

Brad Jackson was the next Blues player to try his luck on five minutes, a chipped effort from the edge of the box that cleared the crossbar by inches.

Jack Sampson went closest for Southport in the opening exchanges, firing a first-time effort wide of the target after reacting quickest to a half-cleared corner.

Chester showed the greater attacking enterprise though, and went close twice in quick succession through the impressive George Glendon.

The 24-year-old midfielder saw his low effort strike the base of the post on 16 minutes before some neat interplay inside the box played him in again, but his effort from 10 yards was pushed away by Albinson.

But, for all their positive play, Chester were hit with a sucker- punch on 21 minutes when former Blues defender Astles fired low past Russ Griffiths, who had parried Zehn Mohammed’s initial strike.

Despite the setback, Chester refused to wilt and were back on terms on 34 minutes when Waring slid in at close range to meet Glendon’s low ball.

Neither side could grab a second before the interval, though Sampson was just inches away for the hosts when he flashed a fierce half-volley just wide of the target after a cushioned lay-off from Devarn Green.

Chester were ahead within four minutes of the restart when Asante showed his composure to find the bottom corner from 10 yards out after the ball ran to him courtesy of a challenge on Jackson.

With their tails up, they pushed hard for a third with Glendon’s shot pushed away by Albinson and Jackson unable to poke it home inside the six yard box.

The Blues should have been out of sight, but the stubborn hosts kept themselves in contention until the 70th minute when Roberts lashed home a superb half-volley from 30 yards out.

The strike sent the healthy Blues away following into raptures as their side got themselves some breathing space in the clash.

And from there the Blues, who host Curzon Ashton on Saturday, were able to close out a timely victory that lifted them back into third place in the table.