KNUTSFORD first team manager Stuart Dow and captain Aidan Brodigan led the Cheshire Building Society Mid-Cheshire League representative team to a record victory in their annual challenge match last Tuesday. They thrashed the Carlsberg West Cheshire League 5-0 - the biggest margin of success in the competition's 55-year history. At stake in the game played under floodlights at Vauxhall Motors' ground in Ellesmere Port was the prestigious Cooper Smith Challenge Cup. The inter-league game is the two leagues' annual chance to pit the cream of their member clubs' talent against each other.
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Twelve Knutsford players were named in the original squad of 20 selected by new team manager Dow and five of them played on the night, with two more among the five substitutes. Those taking part were Jerry Coll, Neil Sutch, Adam Naylor, Dean Jennings, Richard Cocksedge, Mike Langley and skipper Brodigan. Also among the 20 from whom the team was chosen were Mike Hickman, Will Hurley, Grant Ingles, Nicky Power and Majiec Starczewski. The league's goalscorers were Middlewich Town's Mike Brandon (2) and Graham Kay, Naylor and substitute John Thornton (Styal).
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Mid-Cheshire led 3-0 at half-time, and although their opponents enjoyed more of the game in the second half, two further goals in the last 11 minutes made it a resounding victory for Dow's side. He said after the final whistle: "We had a game plan and it worked well. West Cheshire were a good side, but we worked hard and got what we deserved. "Everyone in the team knew their job and did what was asked of them. "We picked an attacking formation and took our chances. We're all delighted with the result."
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Knutsford committee member Dave Roberts added: "We are doing well as a club and this performance is further testimony to the work of Stuart and his coaches, Will Ivatt and Paul Sutch, and of course our players. It's a feather in the club's cap."
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The win was Mid-Cheshire's 14th in the competition, while their rivals have lifted the trophy 15 times.
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++ It's interesting look back at the history of this competition. For instance, for the 1958 game, played at Prenton Park, Tranmere - which was won by West Cheshire - Knutsford had two players in the MCL side, goalkeeper Brian Dobing and centre-forward Terry Gillespie. Dobing, possibly the best keeper the club have ever had, was the brother of former Manchester City, Blackburn and Stoke forward Peter Dobing, while Gillespie was a former Manchester United trainee. Of the remainder of the Mid-Cheshire side, both full-backs and all three half-backs came from Lostock Gralam, while the remaining four forwards all represented Runcorn Athletic, who went on to win the league championship.
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The full squad was, following the traditional 2-3-5 format: Dobing (Knutsford); Clowes, Goulding; Parkinson, Morton, Boyle (all Lostock Gralam); Rushton, Ireland (Runcorn Athletic), Gillespie (Knutsford), Hoxworth, Redican (Runcorn Athletic). Reserves: F. Carter (Barnton), Furnival (Runcorn Athletic), Hunt (Middlewich Athletic).
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