In an extraordinary turnaround, FC Isle of Man overcame a two-goal deficit to secure a thrilling 3-2 victory over Burscough at the Bowl on Saturday night.

Manager Paul Jones didn’t mince words about his team’s ‘flat’ and ‘nowhere near good enough’ first-half performance as they struggled against a spirited Burscough side who were winless in seven games.

However, by the final whistle Jones was delighted to take all three points, extending his side’s winning run to six games, keeping their North West Counties Premier Division promotion aspirations firmly on track.

The match began with FC Isle of Man looking unusually sluggish as they searched for an opener, however, clear opportunities eluded them. A shout for handball in Burscough’s box went unheeded by the referee in the fourth minute, setting a tone of frustration for the Ravens.

The turning point of the half came in the 36th minute in controversial fashion.

A long-range effort from Burscough’s John McGrath flew towards goal, hitting the underside of the crossbar and bouncing down.

While the hosts were adamant it had not crossed the goal-line, the linesman’s intervention saw the referee award the goal.

Moments later, the Ravens suffered another setback as Alex Maitland was forced off with a suspected hamstring injury, replaced by Ronan McDonnell.

Burscough seized on this momentum, and just before half-time, they doubled their lead as captain James McCulloch capitalised when goalkeeper Adam Killey failed to gather a corner and hammered in the away side’s second from close range.

At the break, a dispirited FC Isle of Man trudged off, trailing 0-2 and facing an uphill battle.

A rejuvenated FC Isle of Man emerged for the second half.

The introduction of fresh legs in a triple substitution at the 55th minute brought Daniel Gerrard, Jack McVey, and Adam Adebiyi into the fray, a decision that would prove critical.

The fightback began in the 67th minute, courtesy of a sensational strike from Ste Whitley who was making his 150th appearance for the club.

He embarked on a determined run from the middle of the park, found a pocket of space 30 yards out and let loose an unstoppable curling effort into the top corner, igniting the 800-strong crowd.

Only two minutes later, substitute Adebiyi produced a moment of sheer magic with his very first touch.

He soared highest to meet Whitley’s cross and thundered a header into the net, levelling the score and sending the Conspiracy wild. 

Now with momentum fully on their side, the Ravens completed their comeback in the 74th minute.

Gerrard clipped a perfectly weighted ball over the Burscough back line, straight into the path of Charlie Higgins’s exquisitely timed run. He met the ball at the edge of the box and connected with a sweet left-footed half-volley that soared into the far corner of the net. The comeback was complete, and the Ravens led 3-2.

The final minutes saw FC Isle of Man defend resolutely as Burscough attempted to respond, but the home side held firm. After six tense minutes of added time, the final whistle blew, sealing a well-earned victory.

Match sponsor Thomas Miller Investments awarded Man of The Match to captain Ste Whitley for his tireless efforts throughout.

The result keeps FC Isle of Man fifth in the standings, the division’s final play-off spot.

Their next test comes away against Pilkington this Saturday afternoon.

DEAN TURTON