Five-star Robins Round Off 2025 With 17th Straight League Victory

George Revell reports as the Robins continue their record-breaking run…

Knowle rounded off a historic 2025 by reclaiming their place at the top of MFL Division One with an emphatic 5-0 win over Smethwick Rangers in front of an impressive crowd at the Draintech Community Stadium.  Sutton United occupied first place on Christmas Day but Knowle made sure the festive celebrations continued for the 292 in attendance by snatching it back in the Boxing Day sunshine.

Two quick-fire goals just four minutes apart - a penalty from Connor Mort and a delightful strike from Dylon Bennett - put Knowle in a commanding position after the half-hour mark before a cool finish from Talib Copeland tripled their lead just before half-time.  Mort added a fourth from the penalty spot after the break, before substitute Brady Floyd had the final say with a header nine minutes from time.

Knowle started the brighter and fashioned their first real chance to take the lead in the ninth minute when Matt Horton’s raking 70-yard ball found the run of Hayden Purves down the left wing.  Goalkeeper Horton picked out Purves’ run perfectly before the wide man darted past visiting defender Ben Croot and flashed a teasing ball across the face of goal, but it evaded the feet of Talib Copeland and Toby Scott couldn’t quite get the required connection to fire his effort on target.

The Robins came close again on 20 minutes when captain George Seeley threaded an inviting ball through for Purves to shoot, but Rangers stopper Fraser Hamilton-Wright was equal to it.

Rangers were living dangerously though, and their luck wasn’t going to last forever with Knowle chasing a 17th successive league win.  Elliot Edwards - on his home debut - was brought down in the area by Pierre Phillips and, despite angry protests from the visitors’ bench, a penalty was awarded.  Mort sent Hamilton-Wright the wrong way and ran off in celebration after giving Knowle the lead in the 28th minute.

Knowle were in their groove by now and had a second barely four minutes later.  Bennett initially had a shot from the edge of the box blocked by the shin of Croot, but the ball kindly fell back to him and he needed no invitation to rifle it into the roof of the net.

The rest of the first half was dominated by the Robins and they grabbed a third through Copeland in the second minute of stoppage time.  Toby Scott played a magnificent through ball to Copeland in behind the Rangers defence and the lively winger stayed composed to guide past on-loan Walsall youngster Hamilton-Wright.

Copeland’s goal made sure Knowle went in at the break with a three-goal cushion but they came out wanting even more in the second half - and he played an integral part in their fourth 10 minutes after the restart.  Two Rangers defenders hauled Copeland to the ground in the box, and despite Hamilton-Wright diving the right way, he was never going to stop Mort’s second spot-kick of the afternoon.

Joint-managers Matt and Clive Seeley made four changes after the hour, which saw Floyd, Antony Powell, MD Shimul and Odane Barnes enter the fray, replacing Seeley, Copeland, Purves and Flynn Powell. 

Lewis Capper-Imms provided Rangers’ best moment after 66 minutes, but his wicked free-kick from the right came to nothing.  Ultimately though, the visitors didn’t pose any threat to Knowle’s stellar defensive record. It’s now six clean sheets in a row for the Robins.

Influential forward Edwards made way for Leo Henderson shortly after and Knowle put the icing on the cake of a five-star performance with nine minutes to play.  Callum Scott’s in-swinging corner was headed onto the crossbar by Mort, but Floyd was first on-scene to the rebound and nodded home from close range.

Another three points and another win for the relentless Robins. An excellent way to round off a remarkable year.  Here’s what Knowle’s top scorer George Seeley had to say when he spoke to us post-match…

“We knew we had to be at it against a good Smethwick side and we delivered a great performance,” Seeley said.  “It was a slow start for us and we were particularly wasteful in the first 15 minutes - but as soon as we got the (first) penalty, we didn’t look back.”

Seeley also had plenty of praise for Knowle’s new recruit: “I thought Elliot Edwards was superb on his home debut holding the ball up and being an all-round nuisance. He won our first penalty and was unlucky not to get a goal. He’s been a brilliant addition and a top lad too!  It was great to see Morty (Connor Mort) bring up his 9th and 10th of the season - an incredible return from full-back - and I was delighted to see Dyl (Dylon Bennett) grab a rare goal as well,” Seeley added.

“It’s been an incredible start to Step 6 and the lads are thoroughly enjoying the challenges of each game.  Also a massive thanks to all 292 that came out on Boxing Day to show their support - it doesn’t go unnoticed. We’ll need you all in January - we have a very busy month ahead with eight fixtures!  And a massive thank you to all the volunteers at the club for all the hard work they have done in 2025. Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!”