KNUTSFORD Hockey Club ladies climbed to fourth place in their league table on the back of a fifth successive win.

All the goals came in the first half in a 3-0 win against eighth-placed Warrington, who won 3-1 in the reverse fixture in September.

Knutsford started strongly and despite both sides seeing a decent amount of the ball, the stalemate was broken halfway through the first half of this Cheshire Women's Hockey League Division Two encounter.

A free hit inside Warrington’s 25 was taken quickly by Suzi Weir who picked out Sarah Fielding at the top of the circle who blasted the ball through the crowd and into the bottom corner.

There was more end-to-end action and strong passages of play from both teams before some confusion over substitution logistics saw Liz Ball make a majestic run from the halfway line to take up the centre forward position just in time to cut out a Warrington hit out.

Her rebounded shot was pounced upon by Weir who slotted the ball past the keeper at the near post.

The momentum was with Knutsford, who capitalised further from a penalty corner before the break when a decent save from a Katie Price straight strike was hunted down in signature style by Fielding at the left post for 3-0.

The second half saw the visitors come out fighting but Knutsford stood strong through the back-four stalwarts of Sarah Evans, Lucie Chadwick, Liz Ball and Amanda Rees, who broke down several surging attacks.

The reliable pads of keeper Lucy White denied Warrington on a number of occasions from open play and penalty corners alike.

There were attacking counters from Knutsford too, with a couple of penalty corners which the home side were unable to convert.

Knutsford will host sixth-placed Wilmslow on Saturday.