STEVE WATSON has praised a "vital game" after his York City side beat National League North rivals Chester 1-0.

The Minstermen were not at their best in the first half and under some pressure from Chester but the visitors to the LNER Community Stadium could not find the opener.

Instead, striker Mark Beck headed City in front from a fine passage of play, paving the way for an improved - if still nervy - second half.

"They're a good side," the manager said. "I think anybody at the game would have enjoyed the way the two lads (joint-managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson) have them playing.

"This was a vital game. I thought in the second half we looked more comfortable and more solid. We learned from the first half.

"We broke on them two or three times and we would have liked to have seen a second goal come in that our play deserved. The keeper pulled off two or three great saves.

"Fair play to them. I don't think it will be long before we see them coming back up.

"Aside from the win, there are a lot of positives to take out of today - first and foremost, a clean sheet. I know Pete didn't have a load of actual saves today to make but I thought his starting position was excellent.

"For the first half-hour, we were always in it but I didn't think we were adventurous enough.

"As the game wore on, I wouldn't say it was comfortable because they're a very good side, but we always had enough, I thought."

Club captain Sean Newton, after two months out injured, came on as a very late substitute for Michael Duckworth, whose suspected hamstring problem "doesn't sound great" to Watson, though it is still early, he added.

Centre-back Sam Fielding was missing for personal reasons.