INJURIES marred two spirited performance by Dudley Knights as they were beaten 6-1 at Kynoch and 6-2 by Yardley.

Fielding a 14 man squad the Knights went into the Kynoch game with renewed vigour and optimism following a two week break due to bad weather.

But within 10 minutes the hosts were 2-0 ahead after two short corner attacks, despite some brilliant saves from young stand-in keeper Chris Handcocks.

On 20 minutes the Knights were dealt a blow when skipper Sol Buckner pulled up with a back strain and had to be substituted.

The hosts grabbed another goal from a disputed short corner on the half hour.

In the second half, the Knights lost their shape when defensive lynchpin Richard Wood had to be substituted when a fierce shot struck him on the thigh.

The hosts over ran the Knights grabbing three more goals in open play before stand-in skipper Adam Pritchard scored a well taken short corner, the team’s first of the season.

The Knights then gave Yardley the fright of their lives despite playing with just nine men on Sunday.

Buckner, Richard Wood and Ed Parkes played through the pain barrier to help the team score twice for the first time in a game.

Yardley were only 3-0 up at the break thanks to brilliant defensive work by Woods, Breedon and keeper Handcocks.

In the second half Yardley made it 4-0 before Phil Cox found the net and man-of-the-match Parkes rifled home a stunning goal from an impossible angle to make it 4-2.

Both players should have scored again before Yardley grabbed two more late on to breath a little more easily.

The Knights face another double bill of action this weekend. On Saturday they welcome Oswestry to the Earls High School at 2pm and on Sunday they welcome Pershore to the Dell Stadium for a 2.30pm push back.