Spirit not enough to save Knights

A spirited display at Thurlow Nunn League Division One North title favourites Harwich & Parkeston was not quite enough to earn reward for Pinchbeck United.
The Knights shocked their Essex hosts by dominating the opening quarter and took a deserved 19th-minute lead when Logan Tate struck from the penalty spot. That came just after another strike had been ruled out for offside.
Pinchbeck goalkeeper Ben Martin did well to parry Danny Garrad’s effort but Louie Bloom latched on to the loose ball to equalise and five minutes later Martin kept out another effort, this time from Dan Keeble but again the rebound went in favour of the hosts and Keeble tucked it away.
That proved to be the winner, leaving Pinchbeck pointless from their 270-mile plus round trip.
It was back-to-back defeats for the Knights, who had gone down 1-0 to a last-minute winner at FC Parson Drove on Wednesday in manager Lewis Thorogood’s 150th match in charge.
Knights v Parson Drove: Martin, Jaine, H Wallace (Kacirek), Melson, A Wallace, Cranfield, Ward (Tate), Howlett, Slater (Hoyle), Cullen (Fieldhouse), Williams. Sub: Barker.
Attendance: 55.
Knights v Harwich: Martin, Jaine, Kacirek (Fieldhouse), Melson, Cranfield, A Wallace, Howlett, Ward, Slater (Hoyle), Cullen (Brooks), Tate (Panton). Sub: Barker.
Attendance: 120.