TWO late goals flattered Nationwide Conference strugglers Chester City as Stourport Swifts' FA Trophy journey came to an end on Tuesday night.

Swifts' first season in the competition was halted at the Third Round stage after full-time Chester won the Walshes Meadow replay 3-0.

The game had been delayed for 10 minutes as fans queued, giving the ambitious Swifts a bumper gate of 630.

Despite being ranked two divisions below Chester, Tim Langford's Dr Martens League Western Division high-fliers had the better of the first half.

But a killer breakaway strike just before half-time from the visitors, who played in the Football League only two seasons ago, proved decisive.

Swifts were not helped by three injuries on the night which hit player-boss Langford (hamstring), rangy centre-back Dave Davies (ankle) and sub Mark Dearlove (knee).

Chester will now travel to face Stourport's league rivals Solihull Borough in the next round.

Ironically, Swifts had already dumped Solihull out of the FA Cup and would have been well set to progress in the competition.

But Chester, managed by former England defender Mark Wright who missed the game due to a scouting mission, turned out to be a stumbling block.

However, the home side shaded the first 45 minutes with centre-back Jan Mulders marshalling the back three and Tim Nicholls impressive in midfield.

Langford's pace and reading of the offside trap took him clear onto Mulders' long pass on 14 minutes but he lifted his shot high over the bar.

The lively front-man flew into the box nine minutes later but his low drive was turned round the near post by keeper Wayne Brown.

Brown, last season's Conference keeper of the year, had previously looked shaky, making a hash of one cross.

But Swifts were stung on 27 minutes when goal hope Langford hobbled off and recent signing from Rushall, Andy Wright, made his debut.

Home keeper Rob Clarke was at last tested on 40 minutes, parrying a swerving 25-yard drive from left wing-back Mike Rose.

But the cup clash proved cruel for Stourport who went from nearly scoring to conceding the opener five minutes later.

W Brown made superb blocks from Simon Marsh and Davies after Asa Charlton's dangerous free-kick.

But the keeper cleared the ball quickly and former Manchester United youngster Dave Brown caught out the part-timers on the break.

He rounded Clarke on the left-hand side just outside the box and found the net from an acute angle.

It was a vital goal which knocked the stuffing out of Swifts in the second period.

Mulders, lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a bad foul on Mark Beesley, drove wide from 16 yards on 61 minutes.

But there was little else to warm the fans as Chester top-scorer Beesley forced a block from Clarke before adding two goals in the last five minutes.

First, he found the net after exchanging passes with Rose and then in injury-time his 20-yarder was cruelly deflected past a wrong-footed Clarke by defender Steve Ulfig.

By this time, an injured Davies was forced off on 69 minutes and his replacement Dearlove was stretchered off close to the end.

SWIFTS: Clarke 6; Davies 7 (Dearlove 69, 6, Laker 90), Mulders 7, Ulfig 7; Cowley 6, T NICHOLLS 8, A Nicholls 6, Southwick 7, Charlton 6; Langford 7 (A Wright 27, 6), Marsh 6. Subs not used: S Wright, Hipkins.

CHESTER: W Brown; Lancaster, Jenkins, Spink; Woodyatt, Carden, Blackburn, O'Brien (Porter 82), Rose; D Brown, Beesley. Subs not used: Collins, Halford, Haarhoff, Jones.

STAR MAN: Tim Nicholls.