Knutsford 2-1 Vauxhall Motors (after extra time)

FOR Knutsford, third time lucky.

And their wait has been longer than most following a first appearance in the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup final more than a century ago.

A second attempt in 1990 ended in vain for Reds too.

It is unclear whether David Owens felt the weight of history on his shoulders while preparing to take a decisive penalty during Friday’s showdown with Vauxhall Motors.

Instead he had the words of two opponents attempting to put him off ringing in his ears.

Their actions were probably borne more of desperation than malice; there was only six minutes left and their side was down to 10 men following substitute Josh Brabin’s dismissal as punishment for a foul on Ben Brooks that conceded the spot-kick.

Nonplussed, Owens swept his shot with enough force to beat goalkeeper John Courtney.

Knutsford held on, and a merited victory was theirs not long afterwards.

A gap between the teams was slender, although a swift start from the side managed by Scott Dignan and Paul Riley threatened to end the contest before it had started.

Brooks thumped a half-volley into the corner on 10 minutes after a cross to the far post found him unmarked.

By then Reds, with Phil Yuille and Nehru McKenzie dominant in midfield, were in charge.

However their grip on the game vanished when Joe Brandon cut inside from the left before steering a smart finish out of custodian Sam Moore’s reach to level.

Momentum switched immediately to the West Cheshire League title-hopefuls and Moore’s fine double-save, denying Jason Carey and then Michael White, kept Knutsford on terms.

He was not even made to work when Alex Griffiths sliced off-target with the goal at his mercy.

A cagey second-half was ended strongly by Knutsford, who had gone the distance to eliminate Linotype in the semi-finals last month.

Brandon reacted quickly to avert danger after Liam Myers had reached McKenzie’s pass before Courtney, and Brooks could not convert Reds’ best chance.

Sent clear by Myers’ glorious reverse-pass, he fired too close to Vauxhall’s custodian with his weaker right-foot.

Yuille’s header lacked the force to trouble the Ellesmere Port-based side’s custodian, while at the other end Ryan Nightingale could not make a clean contact with Brandon’s cross.

When substitute Richard Smart’s close-range effort was blocked by Courtney in extra-time, a shoot-out seemed likely.

A penalty did indeed follow, and Owens reserved for himself an eternal place in Knutsford’s history.

Knutsford | Moore (GK), Jones, Lynch, Brotherton, Jenyons, Yuille, Warburton, McKenzie (Pearson 85), Myers (Smart 106), Owens (Hare 118), Brooks Subs not used Walsh, Dignan Goals Brooks 10, Owens 114 (penalty) Booked Warburton (obstruction)

Vauxhall | Courtney (GK), Harper (Newcombe 66), Grant (Brabin 38), White, Byrne, Davidson, Griffiths, Donnelly, Carey, Nightingale, Brandon (Davies 95) Subs not used Waring, Stanton Goal Brandon 31 Booked Carey, Harper, Brabin (all fouls), Courtney (time-wasting) Red card Brabin (foul