CHAMPIONS!

George Revell reports on a historic night for the club…

Knowle were crowned league champions as they battled to a dramatic 3-1 victory on the road at Ingles to seal back-to-back promotions in their historic centenary year.

Ingles looked set to put Knowle’s promotion party on ice for a few days longer when Charlie Yates gave them the lead two minutes after half-time.

But Knowle showed immense character and staged a late fight-back with three goals of their own in the final 10 minutes to spark joyous scenes on the touchline.

Top scorer Talib Copeland turned the game on its head with a brace, and an absolute belter from Robins skipper George Seeley made certain of their title credentials in stoppage time before the champagne bottle was opened.

Knowle have run themselves into the ground across five matches in 11 days, so this was never going to be a walk in the park, but their supporters travelled in numbers with a historic night in the offing. They pushed their side to the maximum as they battled their way through a cagey opening 15 minutes.

The first half-chance came when Knowle danger-man Copeland showcased his superb skill. After skipping past three players with ease, Copeland teed up Dylan Daniels to try his luck from 25 yards. Daniels’ left-footed low drive drifted just wide of the bottom-right corner.

Odane Barnes came within inches of the opener 20 minutes in. Toby Scott whipped a left-wing free-kick into the six-yard box and Barnes’ header wasn’t far from the top-right corner.

The imposing forward went down holding his head after being clattered to the ground by Oisin Nicks and Ingles captain Billy Blackshaw on the half-hour mark, causing a break in play which the hosts weren’t best pleased about.

Barnes was given licence to continue after a four-minute stoppage before Copeland completely cleared the clubhouse with a shot from the edge of the box that might have been too high for a rugby post.

Knowle continued to dominate possession, and half-time came before Ingles could properly worry stand-in Robins stopper Shaune Allen.

Ingles took the lead two minutes after the restart though, and it was all of Allen’s doing.

The emergency loanee miscued a clearance, and Yates raced towards the bouncing ball after heading it back forward himself. Allen was way off his line and should have rushed back, which would have given Flynn Powell space to clear, but he instead tried - and failed - to head it away himself.

In doing so, he allowed Yates a free shot at an empty from 25 yards, and the hungry attacker wasn’t going to let a chance like that slip by. His half-volley looped impressively into the top-left corner.

Knowle were up against it at this point, playing against a slight slope on the bobbly pitch, and struggled to really make anything happen - despite still having plenty of the ball in the final third.

Seeley and Hayden Purves were introduced shortly after the hour in place of Barnes and Daniels in an attempt to frustrate an Ingles side coping with the league leaders’ pressure.

Ingles forward Louis Hunter should have done better than fire four yards wide of the right-hand post when he stood over a free-kick while the hosts were pushing to double their lead, but Knowle weren’t complaining.

With time running out, Knowle were huffing and puffing but couldn’t create the one chance they needed.

Then came the goal Knowle so desperately craved.

Syrus Warren-Paul darted past two defenders before driving a low effort towards the bottom-right corner. The ball cannoned back off the foot of the post before dropping kindly for Copeland, who headed into an open net.

A few nerve-filled minutes followed - with Ingles looking more likely to score - but Knowle held firm, and Copeland slotted home his 26th goal of the season with four minutes to play.

Substitute Purves drove to the byline on the right wing before flashing a low ball back across the box for Copeland to side-foot past Ingles stopper George Baker and into the bottom-left corner.

It was already party time on the touchline, but Seeley still had time to add a third with an absolute pearler when the ball fell to his feet 25 yards from goal seven minutes into stoppage time.

As the final whistle approached, emotions spilled over on the touchline, Matt Seeley personally thanking staff and all those behind the scenes who have helped this dream become reality - a reflection of just how much this moment means to everyone connected with the club.

The pitch flooded with celebrating players and staff, the champagne was out and ‘Robins All Over The World’ could be heard from far, far away. 

A side who were hotly tipped for relegation before a ball had been kicked, Knowle have defied all the odds throughout this record-breaking campaign and ultimately earned promotion to Step Five for the first time in the club’s history - as champions.

What a team. What a club. What a family.

This is Knowle Football Club - and this journey is only just beginning.