28/07/18

Knutsford 5-1 Whaley Bridge

Congratulations to Knutsford who were well organised and the more ruthless in front of goal on the day.  Whaley’s squad consisted of four under 16s & 3 trialists and all involved acquitted themselves well although the score-line may not suggest that.

Whaley kicked against a strong wind and were arguably the better side for the first half hour albeit conceding the first goal to a long range speculative effort which eventually came down from space in the wind to hit the top of one post and bounce in across the goal. Whaley soon levelled when Barlow was tripped while advancing in on Knutsford’s area after a cheeky one-two; Sutton opened his account this season making sure with his penalty as usual.

Even though the elements were extremely difficult to play against Whaley’s general play was ok with the youngsters playing some nice open football but a poor last ten minutes in the first half settled the game; the visitors conceding direct from a Bradley West comer that swerved viciously in the swirling wind to go in straight over Tattersall’s head. Minutes later a long range strike beat Tattersall at his near side to put the home side 3-1 up at the break. Whaley’s back four of Drayson Sutton Turner & Broome had coped really well against a vibrant Knutsford forward line and the inconsistent elements; O’Donnell and Leadbetter also linking up well in their first aver pairing up front.

Expecting to come out playing with a big wind advantage in the second half the visitors were surprised to note that it had dropped completely and the same conditions didn’t affect Knutsford second half as they had Whaley in the first… but that’s football and English weather! Whaley were better off the blocks but for all their endeavours couldn’t get the all-important final touch to get back into the game; Leadbetter flashing crosses in front of goal several times without success.

Possibly the turning point in the game came and went when both Barlow and Langford had 18 yard shots saved magnificently by Knutsford’s keeper who tipped both on to the cross bar. Whaley attacked again but a Whaley cross was charged down allowing Knutsford to break and three passes later West slotted in again, he completed his hatrick when tired Whaley legs resulted in a miss-timed challenge and a late penalty for Knutsford to complete the scoring.

Credit to both teams who played the game in the correct manner with both clubs giving local youth a chance in an ever increasingly difficult environment for local fotball to survive.

J Tattersall; J Drayson; D Turner; B Sutton (1); J Broome; G Howell; G Langford; A Barlow; M Baldwin; S Leadbetter; J O’Donnell

I Brown; M Edgerton; K Shuker