CHESTER’S hopes of tightening their grip on the Division One North crown slipped alarmingly last night.
The Blues looked totally at sea against their tenacious hosts who are aiming to cement a play-off place and look every inch contenders for promotion.
Chester lacked effort, commitment or endeavour and were totally outwitted and outplayed by a Curzon outfit that had held the Blues to a 2-2 draw at the Exacta Stadium in March.
The Blues trailed 1-0 courtesy of a Chris McDonagh goal in the 39th minute and the home club were 2-0 up by half time thanks to a low strike by Chris Worsley, and McDonagh made it 3-0 in the 55th minute.
Substitute Robbie Booth scored an 89th minute reply but it was too little too late for a sorry-looking Chester side.
Blues boss Neil Young named the same starting line-up that delivered a 2-0 weekend home victory against Cammell Laird.
Chester produced a sluggish and disjointed opening half and found themselves chasing the game.
Greg Stones provided the Blues first chance after just eight minutes, but his cross from the left was tipped away by home keeper David Carnell and behind for a corner.
Leading Blues marksman Michael Wilde glanced a headed chance created by Iain Howard in the 21st minute wide of the mark.
But Curzon hit back in the 26th minute when Luke Mack raced forward before being brought down by Ashley Williams who was booked. Mack dusted himself down and saw his free kick deflected wide off Chester''s wall of defenders.
The home club continued to press two minutes later, but Harry Davis' header from Mack's corner deflected wide of the target.
Chester attempted to punctuate the Curzon raids, but Howard's byline cross after good work by Chris Williams was cut out by home keeper Carnell.
Chris Williams held his head in his hands in the 31st minute when he headed over unchallenged from Wilde's right wing cross.
Chris Worsley created Curzon's next attack, but his cross from the right edge of the area was cleared by the Blues defence after the ball had been dropped by Adam Judge.
Curzon were looking a big threat whenever they ventured forward and deservedly broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when Worsley's cross from the right edge of the box was easily headed home by Chris McDonagh from six yards.
Adam Jones came close to doubling Curzon's advantage in the 41st minute but his 25 yard drive flew just wide of the right post.
Mack maintainted Curzon's positivity in the 44th minute, but his free kick from the edge of the area was headed clear by Stones.
Chester's misery was compounded on the stroke of half time when they failed to clear a Mack corner and Worsley lashed the ball home low from 15 yards
Curzon picked up from where they left off immediately after the break, but Mack dragged his low 18 yard effort wide of the left post.
Stones worked his way in from the left byline in the 54th minute and saw his low cross fumbled by Carnell and hastily cleared by the home defence.
Curzon rubbed more salt in Chester's wounds when they made it 3-0 in the 55th minute thanks to a poor back pass from Ashley Williams which was seized on by McDonagh and he slipped the ball beyond a stranded Judge.
Curzon were relieved to survive a frantic goalmouth scramble in the 57th minute as Chester tried to respond.
Substitute Robbie Booth produced the only bright spot of the night for Chester when he latched onto a long Michael Taylor pass and clipped the ball over Carnell into an empty net in the 89th minute.