Urmston 4-0 Knutsford

DAVE Price, Knutsford’s captain, has warned his teammates they have no more margin for error after suffering their heaviest defeat of the season last Saturday.

However a surprise reverse for promotion-rivals Keswick means the leading five teams in the North West Men’s League’s top-flight are separated by just four points.

“We can’t afford further slip-ups,” said Price.

“Even though we were 2-0 down at half-time, we still felt confident because we weren’t playing badly.

“The next goal was important, but unfortunately we didn’t score it.”

The Black Knights will be confident of a return to winning ways when back-markers Southport visit Westfield Drive this Saturday, push-back 12.15pm.

Knutsford won the return fixture 4-0 in October.

They lost by the same margin at Urmston, who controlled the early exchanges despite their guest’ back four standing firm.

However the hosts broke through following a move on the right that ended with an unmarked attacker in the circle sending the ball past Tom Wright.

Knutsford could not take any of the opportunities they created at the other end, and fell further behind when their opponents restarted quickly following a foul.

The Black Knights might have halved their arrears before the break, only for a series of corners and deflections not to yield the reward of a goal.

Despite having high hopes they could fight back, the away side found themselves 3-0 down thanks to a clever deflection before a fourth arrived following a swift counter-attack.

It marks only a second timed this term Knutsford have failed to score.