Didsbury Northern 2nd 1-2 Knutsford

KNUTSFORD prepared for a Cheshire Men’s Plate semi-final at Triton this weekend in perfect fashion – by winning their final league fixture of the calendar year.

The Black Knights will start as slight favourites against their lower-ranked hosts on Saturday, when push back is at midday.

They start that contest placed inside the top four in the North West League’s Division One after a goal in each half from Keelan Sherwani and returning Jonny Price settled a close encounter last weekend.

Sherwani claimed a breakthrough when he scored at the second attempt after Didsbury’s goalkeeper had blocked his initial effort.

The visitors settled, and continued to apply pressure.

However too often a final pass went astray.

The home team, victors at Westfield Drive last month, rallied and forced a series of short corners.

Solid defending from Knutsford’s back four prevented them from converting though, and the visitors were left to rue not doubling their lead when Price just failed to connect with Tom Lewis’ brilliant pass.

Didsbury continued to counter in the second period, but without success.

Instead they fell further behind when a ball fizzed into their circle was expertly deflected into the net by Price.

It was 2-1 when an unmarked forward converted at the far post a cross from the left, but Knutsford closed out the contest to record a fifth league win.