Knebworth kicked off the 2025/26 Herts Senior County League Division 3 campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat against Pitstone & Ivinghoe United Reserves.
Knebworth 1, Pitstone & Ivinghoe United Reserves 2 – 06/09/2025
Billy Mulley reports…
Starting the game off brightly, it was the visitors who opened the scoring around 15 minutes in, when a mishit strike from inside the area wrong-footed Ross Field in the Knebworth goal.
The Ks moved the ball around well and managed to break into the final third a lot in the first half, but they were unable to create anything of note.
It was a fairly similar first 20 minutes of the second half where the Ks were not placed under any real danger but struggled to test the Pitstone goalkeeper. The visitors doubled the lead midway through the second half directly from a (heavily wind-assisted) corner.
Responding excellently to going two goals down, Knebworth went on to really pile the pressure on in the remaining 25 minutes. The introduction of Tyler Pullin helped the Ks to pin the opposition back, whilst the pace of Sim Vilakati and Matty Harwood started to cause plenty of problems.
Captain Will Oram stepped up to pull a goal back with 15 minutes to go, with his 30-yard free-kick proving too much for the Pitstone goalkeeper.
The remaining 15 minutes was all Knebworth as they searched for what would have been a deserved equaliser. Matty Harwood forced a fantastic reactionary save from the GK when he was played through 1v1. Lucca Kennedy was then unable to convert from close range following a well worked move on the right.
Despite a strong effort and there being plenty of positives to take into next weekend’s County Cup fixture at home to Sarratt Reserves, it eventually finished in a 2-1 defeat.
MK1 Indigo Group player of match: Callum Pickstock
Enjoy this week’s Match Programme here
The Ks host their first cup game of the season on Saturday 13 September 2025 with Sarratt Reserves the visitors in the Herts County Junior Cup; kick off is 15:00. Find the fixtures list here for 2025.
Musings of an old man: at 35 characters, Pitstone & Ivinghoe United Reserves could well have the longest name of a Knebworth opponent?!
Special thanks to Alan Sleator for the photos.
Knebworth FC 