Ravens run riot against AFC Liverpool

FC Isle of Man claim big win in wild game involving three red cards

FC Isle of Man served up a ruthless attacking display as they cruised to a 5-0 win over AFC Liverpool in a wild encounter in the NWCFL Premier Division this evening (13 December).

Ste Whitley's deflected strike on 21 minutes put the Manx side ahead with Charlie Higgins tapping home a rebound eight minutes into the second half.

Kyle Watson then added a third from the penalty spot after AFC Liverpool's Matthew Brown was sent off for a handball inside his own penalty area.

Higgins and Dean Pinnington added a fourth and fifth for the hosts before tempers flared deep into second-half stoppage time with a tussle between both sets of players seeing Higgins and AFC Liverpool's David Blankendal being given their marching orders.

Whilst ahead of the weekend both teams had a points cushion away from the drop zone, both came into tonight's contest at The Bowl looking for further security going into the festive period.

AFC Liverpool provided the threat early on with Elliot Taylor being denied by an Adam Killey save on 12 minutes before Cameron Rooney's deflected strike clipped the crossbar only a minute later.

But against the run of play, FC Isle of Man took the lead on the 21st minute when AFC Liverpool failed to fully clear a Pinnington free-kick before Callum Sherry squared to Whitley on his left whose first-time hit inside the box took a big deflection off a defender before nestling in the net past a wrong-footed David Parkinson.

The next breakthrough in front of goal came eight minutes into the second half when Higgins teed up Pinnington on the edge of the AFC Liverpool box with Pinnington's strike being parried by Parkinson into the feet of Higgins who tapped into an empty net from close range.

Three minutes later, FC Isle of Man were awarded a penalty when AFC Liverpool's Matthew Brown was adjudged to have handballed in his own area - as a result, the defender was shown a straight red card by referee, Jack Vase.

Up stepped Kyle Watson from 12 yards who sent Parkinson the wrong way and arrowed an effort into the top corner to give 'The Ravens' a third.

Now in control on the scoreboard and with a man advantage, FC Isle of Man found the target again on 70 minutes - this time with AFC Liverpool failing to clear a corner and - following a goalmouth scramble - Higgins was there from point-blank to poke home.

Heading into the final stages and with ten-man AFC Liverpool being stretched further, Whitley became provider in the 90th minute, picking the ball up on the right before squaring to Pinnington on the edge of the box who, first time, side-footed a calm effort into Parkinson's top right-hand corner.

In second-half stoppage time, tensions boiled over as a coming together between FC Isle of Man's Joe Middleton and AFC Liverpool's Daniel Mahaffy resulted in a mass confrontation between both sets of players.

Once the dust settled a minute or so later, referee Jack Vase took action with Higgins of FC Isle of Man and AFC Liverpool substitute, David Blankendal both seeing red for their parts in the altercation.

The final whistle marked only a second home win of the campaign to date for FC Isle of Man whilst it capped a week to forget for the Merseyside visitors for whom it's back-to-back defeats in less than seven days.

FC Isle of Man's next match will be away against Glossop North End on Saturday, 20 December, kicking-off at 2pm.

Man of the Match: Josh Cain (FC Isle of Man)