Knutsford 0 Rudheath Social 3

DEPLETED Knutsford struggled to recover from goalkeeper John Stanway’s dismissal on Saturday, losing further ground at the Cheshire League summit.

Fortunately for Reds, who don’t play again in the Premier Division for a fortnight, leaders Whaley Bridge dropped points after a draw with Linotype.

Scott Dignan’s men, beaten in three of their past four league fixtures, are three points adrift with two games in hand.

They were undone at the weekend by Craig Millington’s double, while Daniel Stockton added a third for Rudheath in stoppage time.

Depleted by injuries, Dignan handed a first start to Warren Gaskin, a defender and front man Adam Bezzina.

The first chance fell to the visitors, but Millington headed off target.

At the other end, Tom Rutter fired wide after trading passes with Lee Mannion.

James Pickford’s left-footed effort forced a save from Social shot-stopper Scott Lodge moments later, but the visitors looked more likely to score.

And their prospects improved shortly after the interval when Stanway, after a mix-up with Matthew Torbitt, handled outside of his penalty area.

Dignan, who had named himself as a substitute, put on the gloves.

He could not keep hold of the ball moments later, and Millington slotted home an opening goal despite protests from the hosts that the ball had not crossed the line.

Dignan then made two smart stops to keep his side in the contest, only for Millington to punish another defensive error to make it 2-0.

Stockton completed the scoring, latching onto a long ball before finishing clinically.

Knutsford Stanway (GK), Wates (Jenyons 74), Scott, Gaskin, Torbitt, Evans, Mannion, Pickford, Owens, Bezzina (Dignan 49), Rutter