FOOTBALL: A LATE Luke Fox goal three minutes from time earned Knowle a share of the points against Simithswood Firs followed a 1-1 draw in the Midland League Division Two.
With Knowle’s ground at Hampton Road still out of action Knowle had to reverse their fixture against Simthswood Firs on Saturday.
On a hard bobbly surface it was difficult to play much open attractive football and both sides struggled to make much of an impact in the early stages.
George Seeley thought that he had opened the scoring for Knowle in the 16th minute when it appeared as though his header had crossed the line before being clawed away by the Simthswood keeper but the officials thought otherwise.
A minute later up the other end Conal Dowling did well to thwart the oncoming striker before the deadlock was broken in the 28th minute when Knowle were caught napping from a throw in down their right and from the resultant cross Kieran Fitzgerald scored for Smithswood.
The home team should have doubled their lead three minutes later when Callum Mallett’s ball down the line was cut out which let Smithswood in and from the resultant cross their striker somehow conspired to put the ball over the bar from three yards out with the goal at his mercy.
Both sides cancelled each other out in the early stages of the second half with Smithswood regularly finding opportunities around the Knowle penalty area but their shooting from distance was wayward.
They could have put the game out of Knowle’s reach in the 74th minute but Dowling made an excellent point blank save after a cross from the right.
That spurred Knowle into action with all three substitutes deployed giving extra energy to the middle of the park and Knowle started to push for an opening.
It came in the 87th minute when Oliver Woodley split the Simthswood defence and Luke Fox timed his run through and lobbed the oncoming keeper.
The point secured Knowle’s position in sixth place and they next play Leamington Hibernian away on Saturday.
