CHESTER produced a dominant away performance as goals from Iwan Murray, Danny Livesey and George Waring wrapped up a straight-forward win at doomed Ashton United.

The result was Chester's third consecutive away win and only their fifth in total of an inconsistent season, but with players playing both for their futures and personal pride, this was a positive result with which to go into the Blues' final home game on Monday.

Chester made three changes to the side which salvaged a 2-2 draw with York last Saturday with Matthew Thompson, George Green and Craig Mahon dropping to the bench in favour of Steve Howson, Anthony Dudley and Iwan Murray.

On balance, the changes worked with the Blues making a good start against a poor Ashton side who lacked anything like the fight needed to avoid the drop this season and remain four points from safety with two games remaining.

Gary Roberts had the first sight of goal with the midfielder blazing a long range volley narrowly over as Chester continued to threaten throughout the opening stages.

Waring was linking play well and the ex-Tranmere striker was next to test George McMahon with a header from a Murray cross which was easily gathered.

The diminutive Murray, who impressed in his substitution appearance against York, was enjoying a good half with plenty of possession and a willingness to run at the ragged looking home defence.

Just after the half hour, Chester took the lead and it was Murray who picked up a loose ball 30 yards from goal and advanced on the box before placing a powerful drive beyond McMahon for a spectacular first league strike for the teenager.

What little fight Ashton may have had before kick off began to dissipate with the visitors almost doubling their lead moments later when a Murray corner found Simon Grand in the box only for the defender's header to sail over.

At the break, Chester looked incredibly comfortable despite the narrow single goal lead but with Ashton peering into the abyss and facing a quick return to the Northern Premier League, the visitors must have expected a response when the players came back out.

Instead it was the Blues who were fastest out of the blocks and they doubled their lead less than a minute after the restart when a Roberts free kick from the left reached the towering figure of Livesey who leapt to head past the helpless McMahon.

From then on Chester were on easy street with the away fans enjoying the sunshine and the faint hope of the play off dream reigniting if results elsewhere went the right way.

Just after the hour mark, Chester made the game safe when an inswinging corner from the right from the excellent Murray was met by Waring who timed his header perfectly beyond McMahon.

With Ashton virtually giving up from then on the visitors were allowed the freedom of the pitch and on 84 minutes, Matty Waters almost made it four when he powered a drive past the far post.

So plenty of positives as Chester begin to draw the curtain on an inconsistent season with a number of the players giving Anthony Johnson and Bernard Morley something to think about.

What's more, the result combined with a defeat for Kidderminster means Chester are once again just three points outside the play offs with two games to play.

Miracles might still happen.