THEY were supposed to have little chance.

Even manager Steve Hardy described the distance in quality between his Egerton side and neighbours Knutsford as a ‘gulf’ before their first meeting.

“I hope it reminds everybody there’s more than one team in the town,” he also said.

Well, they should know now.

Yellows’ victory was no fluke, no ‘smash and grab’ after defending for long periods.

That will encourage Hardy, tasked with taking this team to the Cheshire League’s top flight.

And it should worry Scott Dignan, his Reds’ counterpart.

The hosts badly missed captain Steve Jenyons, who did not recover from an injury in time to play.

Midfield duo James Pickford and Dean Warburton, their most creative players, were absent too.

Met with a resilient and compact opponent, one that became harder to break down following a change of formation at half time by Hardy, their replacements struggled.

Knutsford were better in open play before the break, and Ebbie Rezayan toe-poked their best chance over the bar after David Owens nudged the ball into his path.

Tom Rutter dragged a weak attempt wide, while full-back Sean Lynch drilled low across the face of goal after Owens passed long from right to left.

Egerton posed a threat from set pieces, and Charlie Anderson’s back-post header prompted Reds’ goalkeeper Sam Moore to tip over.

Chris Trowbridge, a tireless runner throughout in the visitors’ attack, fizzed another attempt wide after Owens had cheaply surrendered possession.

Yellows changed their shape to mirror Knutsford’s in the second period, and looked more likely to score as a result.

Trowbridge’s drive stung Moore’s palms on the hour, then the front man failed to make a clean contact from Omry Perel’s cross after the wide man had bamboozled Joel Wilbraham with a stylish dribble.

Egerton were left cursing their luck shortly afterwards when Rob Hughes’ perfectly-executed effort from distance hit the crossbar with Moore out of position – again because of Trowbridge’s determination to apply pressure.

They did not threaten again before 90 minutes were played, instead breathing their own sigh of relief when Knutsford substitute Dean Nolan’s curling shot scraped a post.

It was the closest Reds got to taking the lead.

Their afternoon worsened when captain Lee Mannion was set off for a reckless challenge at the start of extra time.

And it did further when Perel, who made his Egerton debut seven days earlier, netted a decisive goal seven minutes later.

After collecting possession on the left, he darted inside before directing a shot out of Moore’s reach from the edge of the area.

Knutsford’s hopes were raised when Hughes was shown a red card as punishment for blocking a free kick from being taken, earning him a deserved second caution from referee Martin Howe.

However it was Egerton who celebrated gleefully when Perel, after an alert Joel Thompson launched a counter attack with a quick throw, teed up substitute Sean Nolan to steer in a second goal.

Their reward, along with local bragging rights, is a place in the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup’s last 16.

Knutsford | 4-3-3 | Moore (GK), Wilbraham, Beattie, Brotherton, Lynch, Rezayan (Smart 106), Mannion, Butler (Ramsay 63), Owens, Myers, Rutter (Dean Nolan 78) Subs not used Torbitt, Spilsbury Booked Wilbraham, Nolan, Rezayan (all fouls), Rutter (ungentlemanly conduct) Sent off Mannion (foul)

Egerton | 4-4-2 | Thompson (GK), Anane, Maunder, Anderson (Beresford 113), Stratford, Hughes, Best, Brown, Perel, Hewitt (Burrows 91), Trowbridge (Sean Nolan 117) Subs not used Hampton, Billingham Booked Brown, Hughes (both fouls) Sent off Hughes (second caution) Goals Perel 100, Sean Nolan 120

Referee Martin Howe