Knowle complete league and cup double with cup final triumph over Smethwick Rangers

Knowle completed their league and cup double by lifting the Midweek Floodlit Cup after beating Smethwick Rangers 3-0 at the Pallet-Track Bescot Stadium.

Just nine days on from their title-winning party following their final league match, the Robins got their hands on another piece of silverware to put the gloss - if enough wasn’t there already - on a simply astonishing campaign.

First-half goals from Talib Copeland and Brady Floyd ensured Knowle’s league and cup double, and made it a night to remember for everyone connected with the club.

Having scored eight and conceded none in their two league meetings with Rangers this term, Knowle came into the contest with plenty of confidence and had their first sight of goal in the fifth minute when top scorer Copeland dragged a shot narrowly wide of the left-hand post after Dylon Daniels’ found him with a cut-back from the right.

Buoyed by their recent survival in MFL Division One, Rangers had a double chance of their own three minutes later. Charlie Manners forced Robins stopper Matt Horton into a good save before the follow up was cleared off the goal-line.

Rangers worried Knowle once more when Joe Haines whistled over the bar from range after driving forward from the half-way line.

The Robins responded almost immediately, Rangers goalkeeper Jonathan Brown doing well to deny Hayden Purves at his near post.

Knowle found the opener just before the half-hour following a wicked delivery from the right. Brown parried Copeland’s initial header but the imposing winger reacted quickest to find the top-left corner at the second attempt.

Little of note happened in the 15 minutes after that, but good work from Frankie Ealing crafted a half-chance for Rangers as the interval approached.The right-winger raced beyond Anton Powell before pulling back for Manners to head a tame effort into Horton’s hands.

Knowle added a second in the first half’s final action and Horton was to thank. Purves smartly flicked the goalkeeper’s raking ball into the path of Floyd, who found the net with confidence to go in at half-time with a commanding lead.

Neither side really threatened the opposition’s goal in the first 20 minutes after the break. Rangers saw a chance slip by after a game of head tennis in the penalty area before Floyd volleyed over from distance just before the hour.

That was Floyd’s last action. Odane Barnes was introduced in his place to beef up Knowle’s attack.

And a chance followed. Copeland ignored Connor Mort’s overlapping run and fired a shot at goal, before Daniels met the recycled ball. The midfielder would have seen his 20-yarder hit the top corner had it not been for Brown’s quick intervention.

The game was end-to-end by this point and Rangers had the next opportunity. They played through the thirds swiftly but substitute Leo Henderson couldn’t shoot with the power required to beat Horton and find the bottom-right corner.

With less than a minute to play, Knowle could have added a third. The ball dropped invitingly for Corry in the box but he couldn’t quite find the bottom-left corner.

Rangers had a chance for a consolation 30 seconds later. A teasing through ball found substitute Tyler Wilson and his powerful strike deflected off of Horton and onto the crossbar.

Many of the record 21 consecutive victories Knowle recorded earlier in the campaign were secured in dominant fashion, and Knowle scored again with the final kick of the game. Henderson latched onto a hopeful clearance and lobbed the onrushing Brown.

The celebrations when Knowle centre-staged their never-say-die attitude to ensure back-to-back promotions with a dramatic 3-1 victory on the road at Ingles less than two weeks ago were certainly to savour - as they were when the league season concluded with an identical home win over Saffron Dynamo the following Saturday.

But it felt even more real when the full-time whistle sounded at the Bescot. The emotions spilled over on the pitch and in the stands before captain George Seeley lifted the trophy aloft.

Knowle knew they were never, ever going to forget this year.