Blackburn Northern 6-6 Knutsford

IF Knutsford had proved able front-runners during the opening match of the season last weekend, then they showed their stomach for a fight on Saturday.

The Black Knights trailed 5-2 by the break at Blackburn, but recovered afterwards to earn a share of the spoils.

They had started brightly, taking the lead when Mat Hodge finished smartly after Keelan Sherwani made progress on the right.

A second goal was not long in coming, this time when Jonny Price converted from close range following a burst forward by an on-song Keelan Sherwani.

They relaxed though, and their hosts made them pay.

A drag flick from a short-corner routine halved their arrears, then they went on to plunder four goals in a 10-minute spell during which Knutsford lost focus.

After being rallied by player-coach Simon Trenbirth during the interval, the visitors’ recovery started when captain Dave Price coolly converted a penalty stroke awarded for a foul on Sherwani.

Jonny Price could not convert Tom Lewis’ assist, which would have made it 5-4, and Blackburn made the most of the let-off to instead restore a three-goal advantage from another short corner.

Stung, the Black Knights were given an opportunity to respond when Jonny Price was bundled over in the D.

His brother Dave again kept calm to score the resulting penalty past the hosts’ goalkeeper.

His teammates piled on the pressure during the final five minutes, and closing to within a score of their opponents when Graeme Wolfenden converted from a short corner.

Lewis was inches away from applying a finishing touch to Trenbirth’s cross before And Knutsford earned the reward their second-half display deserved when Trenbirth scrambled home after Wolfenden’s initial shot had been parried.

They host neighbours Lymm in Division One at Westfield Drive this Saturday, push back 2.15pm.