KNUTSFORD made it back-to-back wins in the league as they toasted the opening of their own clubhouse.

A place to call home had been elusive since the club's inception 15 years ago but a 42-38 victory against top-of-the-league Birkenhead Park was a worthy way to mark the occasion in front of a huge crowd.

Knutsford started with aplomb, with their forwards immediately making yards.

Dec Yoxall and Kyle Blake showed devastating pace and ball skills to make 30 yards and Knutsford set pieces showed the clear progress they have made in training these last few weeks.

Within 10 minutes the pressure told, Liam Boyle finding space after strong recycling work from Stefano Spinola and Tom Page. He offloaded to fly-half Cook, who ran in from the opposition 22. Adam Ellary added the extras.

Knutsford tightened the screw, a fantastically worked scrum fed quick ball to Cook who put outside centre Sam Nanda through a gap and he finished well - rounding the full-back to dot down between the posts. Ellary again made the extras and Knutsford were 14-0 without reply after as many minutes.

Birkenhead rallied in response and some defensive lapses out wide saw them convert two tries in quick succession to level the scoring just after the half-hour mark.

But Cook scored again though after solid running with ball saw Giles Robertson and Howard Dunkerley make crucial yards before the ball was fed out and Cook dummied the last man to go between the centre and winger to score, making it 21-14 after Ellary again made the conversion.

Blows were traded back and forth, Nanda crossed for his second - shortly after Birkenhead had levelled again - with a good backs play from Ric Walker and Chris Isherwood interchanging to release Nanda into space.

Birkenhead responded with two quick tries and suddenly the home side were behind for the first time in the game, 38-35 with 30 minutes to play.

Knutsford continued to defend heroically, joint man of the match Ric Walker was putting his body on the line time and again to prevent Knutsford's back line being breached.

Giles Robertson was leading the forwards to a defensive masterclass but Birkenhead were pinning Knutsford down, with the wind, and wave after wave of attack was soaked up.

Fortune favoured the brave though and a wayward backline pass just before the hour mark saw Cook intercept on Knutsford's 22m line and run home to complete his hat-trick.

Thanks to a last ditch Nanda try-saving tackle the scores remained unchanged.

Knutsford visit Capenhurst on Saturday.