Thatcham had suffered two away defeats since the previous home outing against Epsom & Ewell in which Knight sealed the points in the 99th minute. Relegation rivals had closed the gap to put the Kingfishers back under pressure going into the visit of Corinthian-Casuals.

But Thatcham struck what could prove to be a decisive blow in the battle to avoid the drop, with Knight’s latest winner moving the club 6 points clear of the bottom two with games rapidly running out.

Knight had a couple of half-chances during a tight opening half. The first came in the opening minute when he got on the end of Andy Matthews’s flick but the ball dropped wide of the near post. Then the visitors failed to clear Callum Willmoth’s free-kick but Knight failed to get enough power on his shot to trouble Murillo Bernardes in goal.

A chance then opened up for Curtis Angell but a defender diverted the goal-bound shot behind. Matthews put the ball in the back of the net from the corner but it was ruled out and there were no protests from the big man.

At the other end Maciej Wieczorek had to race out of his area to clear danger twice, and then pushed Zack Ejeta’s effort around the post. Marcos Dan Santos fired wide from the edge of the box as Corinthians threatened to go in front.

The second half began in a similarly balanced fashion before the game was tipped in Thatcham’s favour when the referee brandished a red card to the visiting player-manager Mu Maan after he tangled with Knight.

With the man advantage, Town started to create more chances with Levi Heholt, playing in a more advanced midfield role going close from 20 yards. Angell got underneath two decent chances when the ball found him free on the right.

After Rafael Barbosa wasted a good opening for Corinthian-Casuals, Matthews flicked a header wide from Polding’s cross, and then Heholt teed up Knight only for the forward’s shot to drift agonisingly wide.

But Town had tended to find a man in space down the left flank and persisted with that threat deep into time added on. Callum Winchcombe slipped the ball in to Tyrese Georcelin who reached the by-line and centred low for Knight to turn it home from six yards out.

Cameron Philbey’s side are next in action on Saturday when Balham are the visitors to the Mettal Stadium.

TEAM : Maciej Wieczorek, Fin Tombs, Callum Winchcombe, Callum Willmoth, Archie Denton, Andy Matthews, Curtis Angell, Luke Polding, Charlie Knight, Levi Heholt, Tyrese Georcelin. SUBS ON : Dan Smith. SUBS UNUSED : Finley Meikel, Charlie Gmiterek, Mackenzie Creech, Rowan Clark

ATTENDANCE : 185