Middlewich Town 1 Knutsford 5

KNUTSFORD overturned an interval deficit at the break to comfortably beat lowly Middlewich on Saturday.

Joe O’Sullivan opened the scoring for the Witches, but Reds netted five times in the second half through Steve Jenyons, Vinnie Braine, Kingsley Grandison and Gary Prescott while Town’s Jack Bryning put through his own goal.

John Ferguson’s men rise to third in the Division One table as a reward.

Sam Didsbury had the best of the early chances for Middlewich when his shot from a narrow angle was deflected wide.

The hosts then went ahead on 16 minutes when O’Sullivan drilled a stunning free kick from the corner of the area in off the far upright.

And the relegation-threatened hosts almost doubled their tally shortly afterwards when first O’Sullivan and then Louis Bentley failed to hit the target.

Knutsford’s first chance came from Prescott’s delivery which reached substitute Braine – who had replaced injured Rod Thornley – before Grandison dragged a volley wide.

Didsbury was a constant threat for the home team, beating goalkeeper Mark Higgs to a long through pass before laying off for O’Sullivan to strike.

Higgs recovered well to block.

Knutsford’s net-minder was forced in to action again before the break, this time palming away Didsbury’s low shot across goal.

Reds turned the game around with two goals in as many minutes on the hour; first Jenyons headed home a Mike Cartner corner before Bryning turned Simon Williamson’s delivery into his own net.

It was 3-1 to the visitors when Richard Smart’s long clearance found Grandison, who volleyed in via a post.

He turned provider for Knutsford’s fourth, sending Braine clear to round the keeper and finish before Scott Beattie’s assist gave Prescott his fourth goal in three games to complete the rout.

Knutsford Higgs (GK), Cartner, Williamson (Lynch 63), Smart, Jenyons, Beattie, Grandison, Mannion, Prescott, Thornley (Braine 14), Pickford (Myers 69).