Knutsford 3 Poynton 1

KNUTSFORD kept up with their rivals for the Cheshire League title thanks to a scorching start against Poynton on Saturday.

Liam Crellin-Myers netted on his return, while Graeme Brotherton and Scott Beattie also hit the net during an opening 23-minute blitz at Manchester Road.

It leaves Reds two points adrift of Whaley Bridge – winners at previous leaders Congleton Vale – in the table, but with two games in hand.

Myers, back in the hosts’ line-up after Barnton’s game was postponed, needed only six minutes to put Scott Dignan’s side ahead.

He finished clinically an assist from strike-partner David Owens.

Four minutes later the prolific Myers turned provider.

After receiving the ball from a Knutsford corner, he teed up the late-arriving Brotherton to smash an effort into the top corner of the net from the left edge of the box.

Goalkeeper Sam Moore was called into action to save smartly at the end of a Poynton attack after Steve Jenyons’ slip handed the visitors possession.

The hosts soon scored again at the other end when Owens’ cross from the right picked out Beattie and he thundered a header into the net.

The visitors reduced the deficit via a penalty after a cross struck the arm of full-back Joel Wilbraham.

Moore made a one-handed save from the spot kick, but could not stop the follow-up.

A heavy downpour made things difficult for the players in the second half.

Knutsford had to dig in after Matt Torbitt was shown a second yellow card six minutes after the interval as punishment for a foul.

Moore then scampered across his goal to save from the resulting free kick.

The teams will meet again this weekend in the JB Parker Challenge Cup quarter finals.

Reds | Moore (GK), Wilbraham, Brotherton, Jenyons, Torbitt, Beattie (Lynch 54), Mannion, Rezayan (Evans 77), Crellin-Myers (Pickford 70), Owens, Rutter Sub not used Wates