Knutsford 1 Whaley Bridge 2

KNUTSFORD paid the price for a below-par first period as their eight-match unbeaten start to the season hit the buffers against Whaley Bridge.

Against his former club, manager Scott Dignan came off the bench in a half-time reshuffle, and, from the heart of Reds' defence, helped to inspire a revival from 2-0 down.

For all the improvement, though, a late strike by David Owens was not enough to preserve the Cheshire League Premier Division sequence but Reds remain two points clear of Bridge at the top heading into Saturday's visit to Rudheath Social.

Missing four regulars, Dignan was forced into changes in a bid to put the brakes on a run that had seen Reds fail to defeat Bridge in five previous meetings.

Knutsford were off the pace from the start as their guests established a two-goal lead through Joe Burgess.

His headed opener on 10 minutes was the result of a fast break and cross from Bill Sutton.

Scott Beattie twice made saving headers to deny Whaley before Burgess made it 2-0 on 38 minutes, this time after wastefulness from Knutsford’s midfield left their defence exposed.

The home side's first threat came on 40 minutes when Rutter hit a weak shot into the keeper’s hands.

Dignan's interval changes, with Josh Wates joining him in a back three, Steven Jenyons going up front, Beattie moving into midfield and Richard Smart pushing to a left-side forward role, made Knutsford more direct.

Ebbie Rezayan went close, Jenyons went inches wide with a left-foot drive, then James Pickford blazed over the bar.

Sean Lynch, on his 100th appearance, fired over from 20 yards as Knutsford pressed.

Owens' spadework and a clever one-two with Jenyons brought them reward but the concluding moments did not deliver an equaliser.

Knutsford: Stanway (GK), Beattie, Jenyons, Torbitt, Smart, Pickford, Evans (Wates), Rezayan, Owens, Rutter (Dignan), Lynch.