RARELY has a goalless draw been greeted with so much enthusiasm at the Deva Stadium, as this one was on Saturday.

When referee Mark Brown blew the final whistle at two minutes to five, every Chester City supporter in the ground rose to applaud a gritty and enthusiastic performance from their team.

Chester had fielded their youngest-ever squad, three of whom were making their senior debuts, and to add to their problems they were forced to play the entire second half with 10 men after Kevin Roberts was sent-off a minute before the break.

The draw came at the end of a wretched week for City.

On Tuesday they had cruelly lost to a 90th minute goal against Cambridge United; two days later the club just managed to cling on to their Conference membership following a meeting of the league’s management committee; on Friday two of their remaining senior players, Rhys Meynell and Tim Ryan, cried off with injury and illness.

Naturally, City boss Jim Harvey was beaming with delight following the game.

He said: “When you consider what has gone on at the club over the past few weeks, and in particular this week, then this draw is a credit to all the lads.

“I had to bring three 17-year-olds into the starting line-up, but they responded magnificently. I am so proud of the lads. They played their hearts out and thoroughly deserved the point.”

Harvey added: “I thought we deserved to be drawing at the break and if we had not been forced to play the second half with 10 men, I am sure we would have gone on to win the game.”

CHESTER CITY: Danby, Freeman, Kelly, Roberts, Rule, Rae, Barry, Owen, Ellams (Davidson 88), Wilkinson (Rawlinson 70), Chadwick. Subs not used: Murphy, Jones, Coulter.

LUTON TOWN: K Pilkington, G Pilkington, White, Blackett, Murray, Newton, Hall, Keane, Emanuel (Cain 54), Barnes-Homer, Craddock (Nwokeji 70). Subs not used: Gore, Jarvis, Howells.

REFEREE: Mark Brown (Hull).

ATT: 1,352.