Knutsford Men's 3rd XI start with a flyer

The 3s set their stall out for a successful pre-Olympic season, whilst Chris Howarth scores a wonder goal...18 years since his previous finish.

Report by Steve Hope

The 3s entertained a resilient & sound Deeside 6s on satuday, triumphing 2-0 thereby getting the season off to a flying start.

To be fair, Deeside's predominantly old boys started the brighter and kept the ball neatly for 10 minutes. At this stage it was looking a long afternoon for Knutsford's mix & match of old & young, classy & carthorse, but Knutsford's central triumvirate of Stanier, Rees & Hough started to get a foothold & gradually gained more control.

14 year old jack pass on debut between the sticks had his pipe & slippers out for most of the first 35 as the back 4 of Lasham, Howarth, Anderson & Crabtree looked solid. Indeed at the other end it was Knutsford who could have scored from a succession of shorts, but the half ended 0-0.

The second half began and Knutsford continued to be fractionally the better side, the midfield 3 staying strong. Wilkie and Rees Jnr. rolled on & off at right wing using pace & bravery to upset Deeside's leviathan milkmaid. Edge subbed on at CF whilst Jack's big brother Henry paused from leading the line so well, to return sufficiently refreshed to run straight onto a killer through ball from Dave Rees, angled half a stick at the ball to deftly put our heroes into the lead. The crowd had swelled at this point to a probable record season opening 36 and the noise could be heard just shy of the tennis courts.

Deeside tried to raise their tempo but the young legs of Niall Robertson and his Knutsford High School chums, allied to the woody introduction of skipper Hope kept them at bay. After a succession of shorts Chris Howarth finally got one to crash into the backboard, thereby notching his first goal for 18 years.

After looking every inch the composed & brave keeper that he is on the few occasions where his back line let him down, Jack Pass made one top drawer save just before the end to ensure the clean sheet that was so well deserved.

Knutsford 3s travel to Congleton on Saturday, and on this form can look forward to another rewarding season.

MoM Jack Pass.
DoD Dave Rees for not passing to his own son!