Chester slipped closer towards the relegation trapdoor after suffering a narrow defeat at Macclesfield Town in the Cheshire derby.

John Askey’s Silkmen pulled nine points clear at the top of the National League thanks to Danny Whitehead’s second-half strike but the Blues fought admirably all game and were only denied a point by Macc goalkeeper Shwan Jalal, who produced a stunning save to keep out James Jones’ volley.

It has been a fraught weekend at Chester which began with a horrendous 2-0 defeat at home to Torquay United and saw the club announce manager Marcus Bignot’s contract will not be renewed at the end of the current season.

To their credit here, the players were certainly still playing for Bignot, but relegation now looks like being mathematically confirmed for Chester within the next fortnight, with the Blues 10 points adrift with five games left.

Bignot made two changes to the side who had performed so poorly on Good Friday with Lucas Dawson (suspended) and Lathaniel Rowe-Turner replaced by Tom Crawford and Myles Anderson.

White had a good opening in the third minute, collecting a slack pass from Mitch Hancox and racing towards goal, but when he could have squared the ball to Crawford, he opted to shoot and Jalal saved comfortably.

Jared Hodgkiss’ 25-yard drive whistled wide of Andy Firth’s goal, before White again found himself in space on the right-hand edge of the area but his shot lacked power and trickled wide.

Tyrone Marsh very nearly grabbed an opener on 11 minutes but couldn’t quite get a touch on Danny Whitehead’s excellent low cross and Chester cleared their lines.

Chester were at least putting up a fight and given what the Blues fans had to witness on Good Friday during the defeat against Torquay, that was a pleasant change.

Gary Roberts began this clash in ominous mood, dictating play in the central areas and he swung a dangerous corner in which Ryan Astles flicked on at the near post towards James Akintunde but the striker couldn’t turn the ball in.

For the side at the top of the table – and six points clear to boot – the Silkmen’s defence looked very suspect and White again exploited those weaknesses as he drove past George Pilkington and lashed a left-footed effort inches wide from 20 yards out.

Whitehead’s appeals for a penalty at the other end were waved away, while Callum Evans got to the byline and whipped over a fine cross but Marsh couldn’t steer it home.

Evans fired a shot well wide on 26 minutes while Blues full-back Andy Halls was very much the pantomime villain, booed every time he touched the ball by the supporters of his former club.

Watching Chester has felt like punishment at times this season but this wasn’t one of those occasions as the Blues appeared to be playing without any pressure on their shoulders and were contributing to what as an exciting derby encounter.

Craig Mahon and Halls won possession off Hancox in midfield and the Irishman carried the ball 40 yards, exchanged a one-two with Crawford, and shot narrowly wide of goal from 25 yards.

Mahon and Astles both surrendered possession on the edge of their own box and Danny Whitaker nearly took full advantage but Roberts produced a splendid block to keep him at bay.

Keith Lowe’s delicate chip sailed over the bar as Macclesfield grew into the contest before the break but in truth Firth hadn’t really been tested during the opening 45 minutes.

The second-half began with rain hammering down onto the Moss Rose playing surface, which had coped well with an overnight deluge which did lead to the match officials taking a precautionary inspection on arrival at midday.

Whitehead’s floated cross was met by Whitaker six yards out but he failed to control the header and the ball sailed harmlessly over the bar but the hosts didn’t have to wait much longer to break the deadlock.

With 53 minutes on the clock, Pilkington won the ball back with a superb sliding tackle 30 yards out, played in Hancox down the left who crossed low to the on-rushing Whitehead, who calmly slotted the ball into the far corner from 12 yards.

This famous, old-fashioned ground was now rocking with news of Sutton’s impending defeat at home to Bromley bringing more loud cheers from the buoyant home support.

The Blues very nearly levelled matters on 65 minutes. Mahon tore forward and won a free-kick 25 yards out, which Roberts clipped into the area. Astles got something on the ball which fell to teenage centre-half Jones, who volleyed towards goal from just six yards out, but was denied a first professional goal by Jalal’s stunning fingertip save. It’s saves like that which win league titles.

Goalscorer Whitehead came off with a knee injury, Whitaker then charging down the left wing and putting a tantalising ball across goal which was just out of the reach of Nathan Blissett.

Jordan Archer was thrown on with 16 minutes remaining as Bignot rolled the dice in search of a late leveller, and that very nearly paid off as Archer laid off White 15 yards from goal and his fierce strike was well held by Jalal, who had the aura of a man who simply wasn’t going to be beaten today.

Askey took Marsh off and put Kieran Kennedy on for the final 10 minutes, as the Blues continued to press forward in a bid to spoil Macc’s party.

Archer nodded down Mahon’s deep cross but White couldn’t spin around in time to fire home. Kennedy’s effort was comfortably held by Firth as Askey’s men sensed a second goal to kill the game off.

Chester were denied a late penalty after Crawford was tripped in the box by Lowe, the young midfielder too honest for his own good as he tried to stay on his feet, referee Thomas Bramhall waving away the appeals.

Shaun Hobson and Askey came to blows on the touchline as tempers flared, with Anderson denied a late leveller by an excellent tackle by Lowe. It wasn't to be for the Blues.