Bollington Athletic...1
REFEREE Tony Stevens had just inhaled to blow the final whistle and up stepped Blair Stubbs, not a glamorous film star as the name would suggest, but Bollington's number seven, to score an equalising goal for the visitors.
Knutsford re-started and the final whistle went immediately, so close were Knutsford to the full three points.
It was going to be something of 'after the Lord Mayor's show' - following their epic Cheshire Cup quarter final last week, but relegation threatened Bollington were at Manchester Road for Saturday's Mid-Cheshire league game and it was quite simply an awful game.
The Reds were minus player-manager Stewart Dow, who is holidaying and also were without Paul Edwards, their hero from last week and the injured Andy Brown and Scott Masheder, both usually so influential to Knutsford.
However, with centre-backs Steve Kenyon and Alan Brown both returning to the home side felt confident under the supervision of assistant-manager Lee Davy that all would be well and in spite of Kenyon's early withdrawal Knutsford did look in control.
In the second minute Kenyon received a whack on the hand (later diagnosed as a broken bone) and in five minutes he headed the back of Bollington's Simon Band's head and came off with swelling and bleeding to his right eye.
Nick Hall replaced him as Knutsford reshuffled their defence.
Alan Brown also left early but in different circumstances as the second of his two yellow cards led to his sending off.
Undisciplined and stupidity left Knutsford down to ten men.
Earlier in a scrappy game constantly interrupted by petty fouls and the referee's whistle, which never allowed continuity to proceedings, Knutsford took a lead when Mike Burnett cracked home a free kick on 20 minutes and put Knutsford in the driving seat.
Knutsford took their foot off the pedal and seemed to settle for their one goal advantage against the Mid-Cheshire League first division's bottom club.
Little goal-mouth action ensued until in the final minute Brennan played the ball forward and Stubbs got behind the Knutsford 10 men to scramble the ball home and earn a share of the spoils.
On Saturday Knutsford travel to meet old rivals Linotype.
The kick-off at Clay Lane is 3pm.
TEAM: Habershon (Hinks 60 minutes), Kenyon (Hall five minutes) Gibbons, Leigh, Alan Brown, Stevens, Burnett, Barnhill (Davy 85 minutes), Hitchen, Hartley.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article