FC Isle of Man secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over AFC Liverpool in the NWCFL Premier Division in an extraordinary finale at the Bowl on Saturday evening.

In a game where all three goals came in stoppage time, the Ravens displayed resilience and determination, claiming a crucial win despite being reduced to 10 men for more than 30 minutes of the second half.

The match began with FCIoM dictating the tempo and creating a flurry of chances.

Ste Whitley, a constant threat throughout, went agonisingly close in the 12th minute, rattling the crossbar with a curling strike from 30 yards.

Jacob Crook also threatened in the 24th minute, cutting in from the left and unleashing a near-perfect effort that whistled just wide.

The Ravens’ momentum was interrupted when Kyle Watson went down injured in the 44th minute. After lengthy treatment, it became clear he couldn’t continue and Jack Camarda replaced him.

Despite the setback, FC Isle of Man pushed forward but AFC Liverpool’s defensive discipline kept the game goalless at half-time.

The second half began under worsening conditions, with strong winds and driving rain adding to the challenge.

The Ravens pressed on but were dealt another blow when striker Adam Adebiyi received a controversial second yellow card in the 57th minute, leaving the hosts with 10 men for the remainder of the game.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, their determination to find a breakthrough remained strong even as injuries began to pile up

Callum Sherry was then forced off in the 72nd minute after treatment, replaced by Ronan McDonnell. Later, Camarda, who had already come on as a substitute, required treatment and was replaced by Danny Gerrard in the 86th minute.

Despite these setbacks, the team held firm defensively while continuing to push forward for a late goal.

With five minutes added on, the intensity reached fever pitch. In the 94th minute, the Ravens finally broke the deadlock.

A corner caused chaos in the AFC Liverpool penalty area and Crook, sharpest to react, poked the ball home to send the home crowd into raptures.

But the celebrations were very short-lived as, only a minute later, Liverpool equalised in dramatic fashion.

A free-kick from the left was floated into the box and Elliot Taylor smartly turned to drive the ball through a sea of legs and into the net, silencing the home support.

But the night truly belonged to FC Isle of Man. From the restart, the ball was initially played back to Jack McVey who looked to pick out Ste Whitley on the right.

The pass was intercepted and partially cleared by the AFC Liverpool defence, but the loose ball fell kindly to Gerrard. He quickly shifted possession to Ronan McDonnell, who threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the AFC backline.

Luke Booth’s clever dummy then drew two defenders out of position, creating the space Whitley needed. He burst into the box, held off his marker and from a tight angle fired low past Harry Campbell in the 98th minute, sparking wild celebrations.

Tempers flared at full-time, with both sets of players involved in a heated exchange that was diffused quickly, leading to an AFC Liverpool player being shown red after the final whistle.

This win could prove to be a turning point for the Ravens as they aim to build momentum when they host Irlam next Saturday at the Bowl, kicking off at 6pm.

DEAN TURTON