KNUTSFORD bagged an important three points upon their return to action.

After two weeks of postponed games, Knutsford managed to get Saturday’s game on at home against Maine Road Reserves.

The pitch was heavy and waterlogged against a rejuvenated side sitting at the bottom of Cheshire Football League Division One but Reds ran out 5-3 victors

Knutsford were rusty but, in the end, had too much for Maine Road and the win was much needed as their home form has not been good of late.

Reds’ performance was disappointing, however, and a three-week ‘break’ clearly had not helped Knutsford.

A failure to retain possession and too frequent poor passing, as was the case on Saturday, is not a recipe for success and there is plenty of work to do.

At the halfway point in the season, Knutsford could and should be on 10 more points and ‘comfortable’ in the top half of the league but continue to ‘huff and puff’ grinding for points.

Graeme Brotherton continues to be a shining light in the side.

The ‘player of the season’ to date looks to be key to Knutsford’s fortunes.

And it was his determined header from a Cavanagh corner in the 78th minute that put Knutsford on the way to victory after they had let slip a 2-0 half-time lead to fall 3-2 behind.

Bibby’s second goal had put Reds back on level terms five minutes earlier, while Roddick netted the killer fifth goal – Reds’ third in 11 minutes – to finally seal the outcome.

Williams was Knutsford’s other scorer, putting Reds in front for the first time in the 30th minute.

But with the chances created the hosts could have been 3-0 ahead inside the opening 15 minutes.

That period included Bibby flashing a shot wide and Bowey finding the side netting in a lively start.

It had been all Knutsford with Maine Road offering little in forward areas in the first half, though there was little quality on show from either team.

And then it was as Maine Road netted three times in the opening 20 minutes of the second half that Knutsford’s inability to keep hold of possession was punished.

On a positive note, Knutsford included Tyler Shaw for his first game in months following a bad injury.

Knutsford: Smith, Burgess C. (Hawley D.), Hawley T. Brotherton, Cavanagh, Shaw, Bowey (Daverin), Williams, Roddick, Burgess L (Summerbee), Bibby

Reds host Malpas on Saturday and will then visit Vulcan on December 17, both games 2pm kick-off, before going into a two-week Christmas break.