Record-Breaking Run Ends As Knowle Held By Heather St John’s

George Revell reports as Knowle’s 21-match winning streak comes to an end…

Knowle’s remarkable 21-match winning streak in Midland Football League Division One came to an end as a stubborn Heather St John’s side held them to a frustrating 1-1 draw at the Draintech Community Stadium.

Promoted from Division Two (Step 7 of non-league) just last season, Knowle had not dropped a single point since a narrow 1-0 defeat at Sutton United six months ago and now find themselves firmly on course for back-to-back promotions.

A first-half header from Kye Wooldridge left the Robins stunned before Dylon Bennett drew them level seven minutes after the restart. Despite Knowle’s best efforts, however, they could not find a game-clinching goal late on.

After being walked out by matchday mascots U9 Cougars, whose sponsors Fonteyn were also in attendance to record the occasion, Knowle started in their usual upbeat fashion, with a neat triangle of passes down the right channel leading to their first chance 12 minutes in.

Hayden Purves laid off for Toby Scott to send a looping ball down the wing, leaving overlapping right-back Connor Mort in a foot-race with his marker Kian Taylor. Mort won the race and fizzed a pass across the face of goal towards Talib Copeland at the far post, but visiting goalkeeper Matt White got to it first.

The Robins appealed for a penalty when Copeland was tripped in the box 15 minutes later. Mort’s teasing through ball found the winger who, after cutting into the box from the right, was brought to the ground by a tackle from Harry Stewart. Knowle’s protestations were soon waved away though, and play restarted with a goal-kick.

Heather took the lead 13 minutes before half-time via an impressively worked set piece. Taylor’s deliberately-deep delivery from the left was nodded back across goal by Lewis Hopewell and Wooldridge was waiting to flick home the opener.

Knowle rallied after the break and found an equaliser within seven minutes of the restart. Bennett’s initial effort from 25 yards was well blocked but the ball dropped invitingly for him to have another go from inside the box - and this time he emphatically fired into the bottom-left corner.

Knowle were on the ascendancy by this point and almost found another five minutes later through Copeland. Heather did not properly deal with a long ball forward and White did well to keep out Copeland’s low drive at his near post.

Chance after chance came and went for Knowle as full-time edged closer, but Heather deserve immense credit - they became the first side to take points off the Robins in over six months.

The visitors defended resolutely to secure a huge point in their play-off push and make sure their hosts were denied another last-gasp winner just three days after their dramatic victory at Bilston Town.

While the run ended in disappointment, this remarkable sequence of results will live long in the memory of everyone associated with the Robins and is something the club can be truly proud of.

Despite the draw, Knowle are still two points clear at the league’s summit ahead of a top-of-the-table clash at Gornal Athletic on Saturday - a team they have already beaten four times this season.