CHESTER are becoming tough nuts to crack at their Deva Stadium home.

The Blues kept their sixth successive clean sheet at home in a goalless draw with National League North leaders Scunthorpe United.

Manager Calum McIntyre told Chester FC TV: “Really pleased with some aspects of our performance; pleased from a commitment point of view. Probably disappointed in terms of quality.

“I thought we played against a side in the second half who made it difficult for us and we had opportunities to do things a little bit differently and we didn’t.”

Tom Peers and Declan Weeks had efforts saved by Scunthorpe keeper Ross Fitzsimons, but the breakthrough didn’t come in front of a crowd of 3,277.

“Playing against a side that I believe will win the division, a monster of a football club and a side that are quite rightly at the top of the division going into today’s game,” added McIntyre.

“If that’s where we’re at and this is how I feel after these games, I think that’s a reflection of how well the players have done over the opening 11 games.”

The draw stretched Chester’s undefeated run in the league to nine matches, but a fourth draw of the campaign does see them slip to seventh in the standings.

It remains tight at the top end of the table, though, with Chester still just three points adrift of Scunthorpe.

Other results: Alfreton 1 Chorley 0; Brackley 0 Radcliffe 1; Curzon Ashton 1 Hereford 2; King’s Lynn 2 Buxton 0; Needham Market 0 Kidderminster 3; Peterborough Sports 2 Marine 0; Rushall 1 Darlington 1; Scarborough 1 Southport 2; South Shields 1 Leamington 0; Warrington 0 Oxford City 2; Farsley 0 Spennymoor 3.