Hitman Knagg finds his range

Highfield United 3, Rifle Range Royal Blues 6
FOOTBALL: DANIEL Knagg bagged a glorious hat-trick as Rifle Range Royal Blues moved a step closer to the top flight, in a lively D and J Builders (North-West) Ltd Oldham Sunday League clash at Royton and Crompton 3G.

Knagg showed no mercy against fellow promotion hopefuls Highfield United, who were defeated for the first time this season on their home ground.

Although parts of the artificial surface at Royton were frozen, referee Allen Hibbert decided that the game should go ahead.

And it was Range who took to the conditions much better than their opponents, even though Highfield took the lead early on.

Range responded with the first two of Knagg’s goals, but Highfield were nothing if not persistent.

They continued to fight back, pulling themselves level at 2-2 in a first half full of goalscoring opportunities, on a bitterly cold day.

Athletic legend David Eyres 'guested' for Range last season in an agreed one-off match. Even without Eyres, though, there is enough talent in the side to see them achieve their goal of playing - and thriving - in the league's Jack Abbott Premier Division next term.

Apart from hat-trick hero Knagg, there were a number of other stand-out performers for Range.

David Ashworth, Rick Massey and John Pauley all impressed in the comprehensive victory.

GOALS: Highfield United - Pauley (7, 52), Moss (23); Rifle Range Royal Blues - Knagg (14, 19, 90), Noicely (47, 57), Oakes (34).