FOOTBALL: KNOWLE pushed high-flying Bromsgrove all the way in Smedley Crooke Memorial Charity Cup but eventually lost out by a single goal at the Victoria Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors had the best of the early exchanges with Tom Craine hitting the target with an early shot and minutes later Nathan Corry’s effort was well saved.
In the 26th minute Corry broke from midfield and slipped the ball through to Craine who slotted home only to be called offside.
That prompted Bromsgrove into action and they pushed hard in the last 15 minutes of the half with their best chance of the half coming in the 36th minute when their striker poked the ball just wide of the left hand post.
Bromsgrove kept up their assault on the Knowle defence in the second half with an advancing midfielder shooting just wide 10 minutes into the half and then five minutes later Conal Dowling got down well to save at his near post.
The stalemate prompted the home team to change their front line in the 65th minute and within a minute they took the lead.
A long ball out of defence was flicked on and their striker ran through to squeeze the ball past Dowling but the ball hit the post and went in off the goalkeeper as he scrambled back to try to clear the ball.
Bromsgrove did not sit back and pushed for a second but Knowle had a great chance to level the scores with nine minutes left as Rob Ormston got round the back of the home defence but could not hit the target from six yards out with only the keeper to beat.
Dowling saved well low to his left to keep a shot from the edge of the area out and keep Knowle in the game.
It nearly proved pivotal as within a minute Knowle had a great chance to equalise as Corry found space in the box and created the opportunity to shoot only for his shot to be deflected wide when on it’s way into the top corner.
That proved to be the last clear cut chance but Knowle can take a lot of credit for pushing the high flying Division 1 table toppers so hard.
Knowle now turn their attention back to their league campaign with a local derby away to Hampton on Saturday.
