Manchester 3 Knutsford 5

KNUTSFORD kept pace with their promotion rivals after extending a winning run to four matches, helped by Jonny Price's hat-trick.

But they were made to work by lowly Manchester, who took the lead and later cancelled a two-goal deficit in a close encounter at Leigh.

The hosts edged ahead following a lapse in concentration in defence, although skipper Dave Price quickly restored parity when he drilled in from a short corner.

Tom Howard then finished with force at the back post to make it 2-1.

The Black Knights wasted chances to add to their advantage, although they did find the net again before the break when Jonny Price was first to a rebound after Manchester's goalkeeper made an initial save.

However their opponents rallied at the start of the second period, halving their arrears from a set piece and then claiming an equaliser shortly afterwards from a long ball forward.

It acted as a jolt for Knutsford, conscious that Keswick and Blackburn Northern - the two teams above them in North West League Division Two - were meeting in Cumbria.

Jonny Price found space in the D from which he applied a finish of high quality, sending the ball into the bottom corner.

And the same player made it a personal treble when he repeated the trick for a narrow angle before the final whistle.

Knutsford will host struggling Crewe Vagrants seconds at Westfield Drive this Saturday, push back 2pm.