Liverpool Sefton 4-0 Knutsford

KNUTSFORD must win each of their three remaining games to keep alive their hopes of celebrating a second successive promotion.

That’s the verdict of captain Dave Price after the Black Knights suffered a second four-goal thrashing on the road in the space of three weeks.

It leaves them fourth in the North West League’s top-flight, five points adrift of their conquerors last weekend.

A trip to Wigan follows this Saturday, push back 1.30pm.

It is the first clash of a double-header, with Knutsford due to play a rearranged encounter with lowly Lymm the next day.

They visited Liverpool Sefton without vice-captain Tom Howard, but buoyed by beating Keswick last time out.

However they were second-best to their fellow promotion-hopefuls for almost the whole 70 minutes.

Their hosts continually won 50-50 challenges, and capitalised on their guests surrendering possession cheaply.

They did not break through until shortly before the interval though, scoring a goal after a spell of sustained pressure on Knutsford’s back four.

Goalkeeper Tom Wright – behind Danny Butterworth, Tom Adams, Gary Brown and Simon Locke – made a string of fine saves too.

Player-coach Simon Trenbirth urged his players to show greater intensity after the turnaround, only for Sefton to increase their lead after twice punishing slack marking.

Graeme Wolfenden attempted to inspire a recovery, but he could not find a way past the home team’s net-minder.

Instead a fourth goal for Liverpool, this time from a short corner, ended faint hopes of a comeback.