Rylands 1 Knutsford 1

RYLANDS overcame losing their goalkeeper in the warm up to draw with Knutsford on Saturday at Gorsey Lane.

However it was a game manager Danny Salt felt they could have won.

Kris Bell’s strike in the first half was cancelled out by a Liam Myers penalty as the points were shared.

Things couldn’t have got off to a worse start for the blues, losing goalkeeper, Gareth Powell to injury during the warm-up.

Defender Stephen Latham stepped in between the sticks for the game.

Salt said: “After losing Gaz in the warm up and heading in to the game without a recognised ‘keeper I would have taken a point but looking at the game I feel that if we took half our chances we should have won the game comfortably.

“Credit to Knutsford, they played a good passing game and were a good test throughout.

“We picked up another couple of injuries which we’ll have to assess before heading in to the derby with Greenalls Padgate St Oswalds on Tuesday which we are looking forward to.”

The opening 10 minutes saw both sides enjoy possession on a near perfect surface at Gorsey Lane, with Knutsford creating the best chance on goal through Lee Mannion’s strike on the edge of the area.

The opportunity looked to spur Rylands on, with Calum Wilson heading wide when well placed from a Tom Swann corner, before Chris Brown was on hand for the second game in a row to head off the line from a set-piece for the blues.

The deadlock was broken in the 25th minute, when Kris Bell continued his scoring run, firing low from 35 yards in to the bottom corner.

The goal saw the start of a period of dominance for the hosts, with Bell firing a golden opportunity over the bar in the 27th minute from the lively Swann’s cross.

The blues had another great opportunity to double their lead on 33 minutes, when Connor Anderson found Koubemba Odilon free in the box but the number nine was denied by a fingertip save on to the crossbar from the Knutsford stopper.

The home side started the second stanza brightly, with Mike Southern causing all kinds of problems for the Knutsford full-back after replacing the injured Bell late in the first half.

Odilon and Anderson both missed opportunities to make it two.

Knutsford began to dominate proceedings after the hour, and after 71 minutes the scores were level when Liam Myers fired home from the spot after a Josh Dagley foul.

Rylands introduced Ben Howard for a debut to shore up the midfield after the goal, but the visitors continued to pile on the pressure and after 80 minutes Rylands were given a let off, when the reds struck the post.

The opportunity however encouraged the hosts, who used the nine minutes of injury time to try and force another late win, with Swann, Anderson and Howard all failing to make the most of good opportunities.

Rylands: Stephen Latham, Chris Brown, Josh Dagley, Scott Beckett (Adam Hunter, 81mins), Calum Wilson, James Sinker, Kris Bell (Mike Southern, 32mins), Kurt McCarthy, Koubemba Odilon (Ben Howard, 71mins), Connor Anderson, Tom Swann.

Cuddington Reserves 1 Rylands FC Reserves 5

RYLANDS Reserves got their 2015/16 season off to a flying start with a 5-1 win at Cuddington.

Rylands fell behind early in the first half but fought back to win convincingly thanks to goals from Greg Freeman, Haydn Fraser, Nick Jordan, Liam Barnett & Dave Morley.

The away side started the game well, retaining possession but after seven minutes were caught out by a long ball that was latched onto by the Cuddington striker, who calmly knocked it over the onrushing Matt Latham in the Rylands’ goal and nodded home in to the empty goal.

Rylands were level after 14 minutes, when Tom Leigh was fouled 35 yards out after a skilful run.

Greg Freeman stepped up and fired the free kick home.

The away team began to dominate the game, and created another golden opportunity in the 24th minute when Freeman and Andy Williams combined do play in Haydn Fraser, who finished narrowly wide, but the chance was a brief respite for Cuddy and Rylands were ahead after 33 minutes when Williams’ low corner was flicked home by Fraser.

Rylands found time for one more before half time, when Freeman’s wide free kick found the head of Nick Jordan.

The visitors began the second half in the same way they ended the first, and after 49 minutes it was 4-1 when Liam Barnett fired a low drive from the edge of the box through a crowd of bodies to find the bottom corner.

Over the course of the second period, Rylands continued to create opportunities, with Andy Williams being unable to finish when well placed on several occasions, but the game was put to bed in the 85th minute when a Cuddington clearance found Dave Morley on the edge of the box, who Di Canio-style volleyed home in to the top corner.

Rylands: Matt Latham, Nick Jordan (Calum Anderson), Danny Watson, Gareth Finch, Josh Rizzotti, Tom Leigh (Billy Anderson), Greg Freeman, Andy Williams, Haydn Fraser, Elliot McCabe (Joe Thomas), Liam Barnett (Dave Morley).