n Knutsford 1

n Greenalls PSO 0

KNUTSFORD end August with a six-point lead at the Cheshire League summit after recording seven wins from their eight matches.

Saturday's success at Manchester Road was among their narrowest, but Liam Myers' winner leaves Reds' title rivals playing catch-up already.

The visitors started with most promise, and ought to have taken the lead when Mark Hughes sliced over from a corner inside two minutes.

Scott Dignan's side soon found their feet, and had the ball in the back of the net through Mark Evans.

However the forward was in an offside position when Myers passed.

James Pickford almost broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when he swivelled past a defender before shooting against the crossbar from outside of the penalty area.

At the other end Reds had to deal with the threat of Ellis Houghton, with the Greenalls winger twice testing goalkeeper John Stanway after cutting in from the left.

Houghton shot narrowly wide in the second half too, when he switched to the right, after skipping past Sean Lynch and Matthew Torbitt.

But it would be the hosts scored a decisive goal on 53 minutes.

Mike Cartner’s run down the right flank ended with him sliding a pass into Myers' path, only for the forward to be bundled over.

He stepped up to convert from the penalty spot, notching a sixth goal of the season.

Reds saw out the contest's remainder to remain unbeaten.

Knutsford return to action on Saturday week, when the host Unicorn Athletic in the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup's first round.

Knutsford: Stanway (GK), Cartner, Lynch, Beattie, Torbitt, Pickford, Evans (Rezayan 65), Mannion (Jenyons 84), Owens, Myers, Scott (Jennings 65).