Chelmsford City kept their slim title hopes alive after comfortably beating Wealdstone at the Melbourne Stadium on Monday night.

Bagasan Graham opened the scoring on 14 minutes before a Chris Dickson brace secured the victory for the Clarets.

Stones boss Bobby Wilkinson made three changes to the side that lost at Poole Town at the weekend as Ricky Wellard, Dan Fitchett and Bradley Bubb came in for Matty Whichelow and Jeffrey Monakana who dropped to the bench and Danny Green, missing with a knee injury.

The hosts dominated the opening stages and took an early lead after a series of Chelmsford backheels in the Stones area eventually found their way to Graham, who beat Eddie Oshodi and smashed an effort into the roof of the net from close range.

Graham should’ve doubled his tally four minutes later when Jonny Giles cut inside and delivered a perfect cross onto his head but he nodded it straight at Jonathan North.

The Clarets doubled their lead on 28 minutes, though, after Ryan Sellers’ headed clearance went straight to the in-form Scott Fenwick who played in strike partner Dickson to rifle past North.

Wealdstone then enjoyed their best spell of the match and Glenn Wilson would’ve left wondering how he didn’t score after he powered a diving header goalbound only for Sam Beasant to tip it onto the crossbar with a quick-fire reaction save.

Wilson did beat Beasant just minutes into the second half when Monakana’s free kick round the defender’s head again but this time Josh Wallen was there to clear off the line.

Despite having a much quieter second half it was the hosts who scored the next goal.

Dickson collected the ball out on the left, cut inside and unleashed a wonderful 25-yard swerving effort into the far top corner that gave North no chance and sealed the three points.

The Stones did pose a threat from set-pieces and went close again late on as Monakana’s delivery from a corner found Oshodi this time, who headed into the ground and saw the ball bounce just over the crossbar.

The games come thick and fast for the Stones as they make the short trip to Hemel Hempstead Town on Thursday (7.45pm).

Wealdstone: North, Oshodi, Sellers (Whichelow 46), Wilson, Okimo, Sheppard, Wellard, Cox, Pratt, Bubb, Fitchett (Monakana 46).

Unused subs: O’Brien, Olomowewe, Johnson-Schuster.