Chester produced their best display of pre-season so far to dismantle Welsh Premier League side Llandudno FC.

Facing an experienced first-team in Welsh football’s top tier, Chester’s mix of first-teamers, trialists and impressive academy graduates were utterly dominant and sealed a well-deserved win with second-half goals from Nathan Brown, Alex Downes, Cain Noble and a trialist.

Under gloomy skies and the natural splendour of the Great Orme, this pre-season fixture was played at an excellent tempo and provided a stern test for a youthful Chester line-up.

They passed with flying colours in a performance that will undoubtedly have pleased managers Bernard Morley and Anthony Johnson, who had earlier completed the signing of centre-back Simon Grand on a one-year deal.

Gary Stopforth and Matty Hughes combined well in the early exchanges but a bad bounce at the wrong moment prevent Hughes from getting his shot on goal.

There was a good tempo to the match for a friendly encounter, with Stopforth and the increasingly impressive academy graduate Iwan Murray making inroads in Llandudno’s back line.

Academy striker Lloyd Marsh-Hughes battled well to win possession back off Kai Edwards and Matty Williams, wriggling into the area but took one touch too many and was dispossessed six yards out.

Gary Roberts produced a terrific cross-field ball on 20 minutes which was chested down and volleyed by Chester’s trialist left-back, but the ball flew well over the bar.

Hughes looked lively and played a neat one-two with Rhain Hellawell before shooting from 20 yards left-footed but the effort was gathered easily by Shaun Pearson.

Roberts and Hughes both saw efforts well held by Pearson, before Murray got on the end of a Marsh-Hughes lay-off and unleashed a stinging shot which Pearson’s tipped behind.

Trialist B was heavily involved and his header from Murray’s deep corner was hooked off the line by Edwards.

Marsh-Hughes was taken out by a poor tackle from Zac Edwards with the officials choosing to keep their cards in the pocket due to the nature of the occasion.

The Blues began the second period strongly, Hughes cutting in from the right wing and curling a left-footed effort narrowly wide.

Marsh-Hughes surged down the left flank and crossed for Hughes, whose side-footed volley hit the inside of the post and back in the grateful arms of Pearson.

Llandudno registered a shot on target just after the hour mark as George Harry’s drive was easily gathered up by the trialist keeper, drawing sarcastic cheers from the home faithful.

The Blues took a deserved lead on 67 minutes through their trialist left winger introduced just eight minutes earlier. Marsh-Hughes reverse ball set through the tricky attacker who toe-poked the ball past Pearson from 10 yards. It was the very least the Blues deserved for a dominant display.

The second goal saw yet another fine team move from the Blues converted by youngster Brown. Marsh-Hughes was again used as a focal point, laying off the trialist goalscorer who squared a cross for Brown to tap home unmarked two yards out.

It was soon three, as full-back Downes found himself in space in the box and blasted the ball in off the bar from a tight angle.

The fourth followed 90 seconds later as Marsh-Hughes laid off a trialist, Pearson pushed away a tricky cross and Noble applied a composed finish from 15 yards.

Llandudno: S Pearson, Hewitt, Williams, K Edwards, M Pearson, Z Edwards, Connolly, Hughes, Ketley, Harry, Owen.

Chester: Trialist A, Downes, Moran, Thomson, Trialist B, Hellawell (Trialist E 59), Stopforth (Noble 57), Roberts (Trialist C), Murray (Trialist D 57), Hughes (Brown 59), Marsh-Hughes.

Goals: Trialist E, Brown, Downes, Noble.

Man-of-the-match: Lloyd Marsh-Hughes – the teenager is playing himself into contention for a first-team start when the league campaign begins in a fortnight.