Knaresborough Town beaten at Handsworth FC as league campaign ends in disappointing fashion

The Manse Lane outfit have enjoyed a strong second half to the campaign, winning 10 out of 13 matches prior to losing their last two league fixtures.

Beaten 2-1 by already-relegated Winterton Rangers in their penultimate match, Simon Parkes men went down 4-1 at Handsworth, a result which saw them narrowly miss out on finishing the season in 11th position.

What is all the more frustrating for Boro is the fact that this game was a replay of one that had to be abandoned at half-time due to a waterlogged pitch, with the visitors leading 1-0.

Hosts Handsworth went ahead in the 16th minute when Mitch Dunne’s cross from the left wing found Brandon Bagley at the far post and he headed home.

Boro goalkeeper Will Mitchell, in the starting XI due to Tommy Brown’s injury, made a fine save to deny Dunne and Scott Ruthven hit over from the rebound as the home side retained control until the interval.

There were no more goals before half-time, though Handsworth won a penalty which Ruthven converted in the 57th minute to make it 2-0.

A third goal arrived on 73 minutes when Dunne cut in from the left before firing low into the right side of the net.

Knaresborough battled on and Jack Lazenby made it 3-1 from the penalty spot in the 90th minute after Aaron White was fouled.

But Handsworth player-manager Jon Froggatt rose unchallenged to head home in the second minute of added time to round things off.

Knaresborough still have one more game left this term, the NCEL League Cup final, in which they face Beverley Town at Scunthorpe United’s Glanford Park home on May 6 (7.45pm).