BRADLEY West held his nerve to convert a last-minute penalty that earned for Knutsford a third win of the season.

It was a disputed decision by the referee after substitute Nathan Okome went to ground inside the area, and the visitors’ Jamie Kay was sent off for taking his protest too far.

Indeed, Reds feared their chance had gone when their guests restored parity at 2-2 with 10 minutes left.

By then they had battled back already after falling behind to Jacob O’Donnell’s opener, curled into the top corner out of goalkeeper Callum Spencer’s reach, on 12 minutes.

However Knutsford, bolstered by the experience of Danny Meadowcroft and Rory Fallon on their first appearances of the campaign, didn’t panic.

Instead their patience paid off when Aaron Clayton’s first-time volley from 20 yards found the back of the net.

Knutsford took control, and West glanced a header inside the near post from Jack Lever’s cross to put the home team ahead early in the second-half.

He was denied a second on 71 minutes when a linesman flagged for offside after Kyle Riley had sent him clear.

Reds’ management duo, Jordan Gunter and Jamie Mottershead, sent on Okome and Scott Beattie for the remainder as Whaley Bridge stepped up their search for a leveller.

It arrived after they robbed Barney Wynne of possession.

However Knutsford made the most of a stroke of luck to clinch victory when in-form West netted his 10th goal of the campaign.

Knutsford | Spencer (GK), Wynne, Cartner, Lever, Meadowcroft, Spilsbury, Evans (Okome 73), Fallon (Beattie 73), Aaron Clayton, Riley, West Subs not used Sheldon, Harrison, Howard Clayton