CHESTER boss Jan Van Deventer has said that his side have now settled after a slow start to their 2019/20 National League Division Two North season.

After disappointing away defeats to Sheffield Tigers and Caldy, Chester have since won back to back games at home to Loughborough Students and away to Luctonians.

Chester are now looking to record their third straight success when they host Hull in their next fixture at Hare Lane on Saturday.

Speaking to the Standard ahead of the vital clash, Deventer said: “Every game is big, but this one is a really big one for us.

“It’s a chance to get more points on the board and to open up a gap on some of the teams around us in the table, including Hull.

“We’ll work hard to make sure our preparation is right for the game, but we’ve found our stride now.

“We’ve worked hard defensively in the past couple of games against Loughborough and Luctonians, but we need to start showing more ruthlessness.

“For us, it’s about keeping our concentration and forcing the results to go our way, especially at home where our record speaks for itself.”

Since being promoted to the division, Hull have enjoyed a promising start to life in the National League Two North, losing just one of their four fixtures so far.

That defeat, however, came in their most recent clash at home to Hinckley where they were brought back down to earth with a 36-18 defeat.

Chester, meanwhile, propelled themselves up to seventh in the standings, a single place behind Hull, after surviving a second half fightback to see off Luctonians 24-20.

The two sides will now go head to head in a vital fixture which could see either team rise to as high as second in the table, only behind a Caldy squad who have started perfectly with four wins in four.

Other fixtures: Caldy v Luctonians; Hinckley v Otley; Huddersfield v Scunthorpe; Sheffield Tigers v Loughborough Students; Stourbridge v Sedgley Park; Tynedale v Fylde; Wharfedale v Preston Grasshoppers.