Dom Tear’s double helps Scarborough Athletic beat rivals Chester and book a spot in first round of the FA Cup

Back from injury, Boro skipper Will Thornton, made a first start since the opening day of the season, but Luca Colville was absent, after picking up a groin injury in training, while Chester were without suspended defenders Nathan Woodthorpe and Connell Rawlinson, but ex-South Shields winger Dylan Mottley-Henry made his debut from the bench, writes Steve Adamson.

There were impressive displays throughout the Boro team, wing-backs Alex Brown and Kieran Weledji a constant threat down the flanks, and attacking trio Richie Bennett, Dom Tear and Alex Wiles harassing the Chester back line.

A long throw from Brown on the left fell to Tear, whose shot was blocked by Jordan Hunter, and a fierce Wiles shot was held by keeper Elyh Harrison.

Early Chester attacks saw Charlie Caton fire straight at Boro keeper Ryan Whitley, Kurt Willoughby blasted an effort wide, and Thornton’s strong tackle foiled Tom Peers as he raced onto a through-ball from Declan Weeks.

Boro went close on the half-hour, when Bennett flicked a header on to Tear, whose shot was deflected wide by Harrison Burke, and from the corner by Lewis Maloney, Bailey Gooda’s shot bounced up against the bar. The deadlock was broken when a long kick upfield by Whitley was headed on by Bennett to Weledji, whose low ball to the near post was bundled past the keeper by Tear.

Just three minutes later the lead was doubled, as Tear laid off to Bennett in the area, and Ben Pollock clattered into the big Boro striker, who fired the resultant spot-kick into the bottom left corner. Just before the interval, Weledji teed up Tear, who fired narrowly wide.

Chester began the second half strongly, but the Boro defence was solid, with Thornton, Gooda and Mackenzie Maltby winning all the high balls. Charlie Caton dinked a shot inches wide, then George Glendon passed to Willoughby, whose powerful drive forced a terrific flying save from Whitley. A Glendon shot was blocked by Alex Purver, with Weeks sending the rebound wide, a Jack Bainbridge strike forced another diving save from Whitley, a Weledji sliding tackle halted a surging run from Burke, and Maloney, who had an excellent game, tackled Peers as he was about to shoot.

Boro absorbed the pressure, then broke forward and added a killer third goal, when the hard working Bennett fed Wiles, whose fabulous through-ball sent Tear clear, and he calmly slotted past oncoming keeper Harrison.

A Maloney corner was headed into the arms of the keeper by Gooda, and a Maloney free-kick deflected off the wall, before Chester grabbed a last-gasp consolation, when Iwan Murray curled a 20-yard free-kick round the Boro wall with the last kick of the game.

The Boro team left the field to rapturous applause after a thrilling and deserved win against a very good team.

BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Maltby, Thornton(c), Gooda, Purver, Maloney (Green 84), Bennett (Mulhern 84), Tear, Wiles (Glynn 80)

GOALS - BORO - Dom Tear 35, 65. Richie Bennett 38 (pen); CHESTER- Iwan Murray 90

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Dom Tear.

ATTENDANCE - 1,803 (327 away).