Knutsford 86-7 Acton Nomads 7

KNUTSFORD moved clear of their nearest rivals in a race for promotion after extending a winning sequence to six matches in emphatic fashion on Saturday.

Acton will be glad to see the back of Blues too after conceding 182 points during the teams’ meetings this season in the North West Intermediate League’s Division Five South.

On a slippery pitch at Knutsford Academy, the hosts took the lead when Matt Cornes claimed a well-worked try.

Blues’ lineout functioned smoothly and they enjoyed the upper hand at scrums in a one-sided encounter.

Cornes completed a hat-trick, as did Alex Malcolm, while Jon Fuller – filling in at fly-half for an absent Sam Cook – helped himself to four tries.

Giles Robertson, twice, Jack Field, Tommy Thompson, Alex Davies and Gregg Sawyer also dotted down for Knutsford in probably their most complete performance of the campaign.

Davies shared the bulk of kicking duties with Malcolm, although Dan Jones converted once too.

A lapse in concentration allowed visiting Nomads to pinch a try of their own.

Fuller saved praise afterwards for Jan Minarcik, who impressed in Knutsford’s pack, and youngster Sam Groves following an impressive cameo as a substitute.

He added: “Our phases were tidy, and we played rugby in the right areas of the field.”

They play next at Eagle’s seconds on Saturday, January 14.