FC Isle of Man put in a spirited and dominant performance against Charnock Richard, but were left frustrated after a 2-1 defeat at Mossie Park on Saturday afternoon.
Despite controlling much of the game and creating numerous chances, the Ravens were undone by an early defensive error and a second-half set-piece goal.
The match began disastrously for the Ravens as Charnock Richard took the lead only two minutes in.
A misplaced pass from Jack McVey was intercepted by Luke Power who showed composure to round Adam Killey and finish neatly into the bottom corner.
It was a harsh blow but the Ravens responded positively, immediately taking control of possession and dictating the tempo.
Sean Doyle went closest to equalising in the eighth minute when he beat the offside trap and unleashed a powerful strike that rattled the crossbar.
FC Isle of Man continued to press forward, with Ste Whitley and Adam Adebiyi causing constant problems for the Charnock defence. But the final touch eluded them as chances to get back into the game went begging.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 44th minute when a well-placed free-kick from Whitley found Ronan McDonnell at the back post.
The midfielder sneaked in around the back and was able to direct a looping header back across goal and into the net, levelling the score at 1-1.
It was a deserved goal for FC Isle of Man, whose constant persistence had finally paid off just before the break.
The second half was a more balanced affair, but FC Isle of Man remained a threat and Jacob Crook forced a fine save from Ryan Hamer after some clever link-up play between Doyle and Whitley.
But it was Charnock Richard who retook the lead in the 62nd minute after a contentious foul. The resulting free-kick from Ash Young reached Tom Walker in the box and his header found the bottom corner, making it 2-1 against the run of play.
Despite falling behind, FC Isle of Man never gave up. They threw everything forward in the final stages, with Dan Hattersley and Doyle both going close to finding an equaliser.
A late free-kick from McVey in stoppage time nearly brought the Ravens level, but his low drive was deflected onto the post and the subsequent corner was cleared.
The match ended in disappointment for FC Isle of Man who could feel hard done by after dominating the majority of play. The overall performance was one of resilience and attacking intent.
There were positives to take, particularly in the team’s ability to control possession and create chances, even if the result didn’t reflect their efforts.
In the second of a bank holiday double header, FC Isle of Man travelled to Stockport Town on Monday looking to bounce back quickly – report in Thursday’s Manx Independent.
DEAN TURTON
