Wythenshawe Amateurs res 2-2 Knutsford

Wythenshawe win 6-5 on pens

KNUTSFORD are preparing for the biggest occasion of their season so far on the back of a penalty shoot-out defeat.

Reds travel to Chalk Lane, the reigning Humber Premier League champions, in the Association of Northern Counties FA Senior Cup on Saturday, kick-off 2pm.

It is a reward for winning the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup for the first time last season.

“I suppose you could say it’s our version of the Champions League,” said chairman Jimmy Evans.

“It’s our debut in the competition and we consider it a massive game.”

However they head to Hull after bowing out of the Altrincham and District FA Senior Cup at Wythenshawe last weekend.

Knutsford have reason to feel rueful though after hauling themselves back into a game they had trailed 2-0 at the interval.

Aaron Clayton saw a shot cleared of the line and Mark Evans headed Joel Wilbraham’s cross against the woodwork during a promising opening.

Bradley West then brought the best from the home team’s goalkeeper when he shot from a free-kick.

Wythenshawe took the lead in contested circumstances four minutes before the break when Knutsford’s defenders appealed for offside.

The referee, without the support of a linesman, was not persuaded and the visitors suffered another blow when a cross from the left sailed over goalkeeper Callum Spencer and into the top-corner.

New recruit Milan Thompson volleyed over in the second-half and then worked Wythenshawe’s custodian with his next attempt after Nathan Okome’s surge.

George Riley went close too before Okome was fouled and Evans halved the visitors’ arrears from the penalty spot.

Knutsford then drew level on 78 minutes when Thompson met Evans’ free-kick with a decisive touch before the goalkeeper could intervene.

Substitute Kallum McDonough then teed up fellow replacement Barney Wynne but his attempt was off-target.

Spencer saved two spot-kicks in the shoot-out but misses from McDonough and Wynne, who both sent their efforts against the crossbar after Evans had seen his free-hit stopped, saw Reds fall short.

They will hope for better fortune when they arrive at Chalk Lane, currently second in the table after winning nine of their 10 matches to date, this weekend.

Knutsford | Spencer (GK), Wilbraham, Cartner, Beattie (Wynne 60), Spilsbury, Okome, George Riley, Clayton (Harrison 84), Evans, West (Thompson 46), Croft (McDonough 60)