CHAMPIONS Knutsford have recruited a new striker in a bid to improve their goals tally.

Kingsley Grandison, a former junior at Premier League club Manchester City, has arrived at Manchester Road following a transfer from Cheshire League rivals Linotype.

He scored against Reds when the teams met earlier this month.

“He has a good pedigree, is quick and a goalscorer,” said Knutsford chairman Jimmy Evans.

“We’ve struggled recently in the final third of the pitch, which has probably cost us a few points. Hopefully he’ll help us change that.”

Grandison has scored six times in 11 starts for Linotype in Division One this term.

Reece Davies leaves Knutsford to join the Cheadle Heath outfit in return, while Jack Woolley is back at university in the north east and so unavailable in the coming weeks.

Knutsford’s scheduled trip to Whaley Bridge last Saturday was postponed with the hosts’ pitch under water, leaving Evans to set Reds a target of winning each of their 10 remaining matches to win the title for a third successive season.

That sequence starts at home to lowly Pilkington this weekend.

He said: “We’ll probably need 30 points to finish first; it’s a tall order, but not impossible.”

Lee Mannion’s recovery from knee surgery is going well, with the midfielder hopeful of being back in action again some time next month.

Knutsford A, who haven’t played a match since December 7, hope to end that wait when they travel to Flixton Juniors in the Altrincham and District Amateur League’s top tier this Saturday, kick off 2pm.

Brian Deeley’s men, 11th in the table, have more than half of their Division One games to fit in.