The final league matches in the 2023-24 Isle of Man football season were played on Wednesday evening.
The one worthy of note was at Tromode where Gymnasium hosted Onchan and it was the newly-crowned champions who finished their campaign with a 3-9 away win.
It has been a season to remember for Onchan. Besides their combination team winning the DPS Ltd Combination Two title, their first team gained promotion and have reached Sunday’s Gold Cup final.
On top of this, their Masters side completed a league and cup double, while the women’s team reached their first final and the club had numerous successes within the junior leagues.
The match itself had a real end-of-season feel: it was more comedy gold than footballing gold.
As the rain poured down, the Os had to wait until the 14th minute to open the scoring when, following a corner, a header across goal saw Jake Gartland pounce and find the net.
Billy Coulter continued his impressive goalscoring form by netting their second when, just as he was about to round the goalkeeper, he turned inside and slotted a diagonal shot into the net.
Just after the half hour mark, a cross from the right saw a Gymns player steer the ball into his own net, before Jamie Burkitt netted from the penalty spot just before half-time for their fourth.
Coulter netted his second after collecting a ball over the top and tucking home a low shot, then Connor Cooke expertly placed a shot into the bottom right for their sixth.
Coulter completed his hat-trick by tapping home an easy chance after George Butler slipped through a diagonal pass.
Charles Simuchimba pulled a goal back for the hosts, his shot proving to powerful to stop, before Butler got himself on the scoresheet at the other end with a low shot.
Luke Fisher continued the battle for Gymnasium by netting their second and Matty McKeeman bagged their third soon after.
But Butler scored the ninth of the evening for the Os, dinking the ball over the goalkeeper and into the net.
Onchan went close to making it double figures when Ozzy Moore twice found the net but both efforts were ruled out.
After the final whistle, everyone made their way to the Cronkbourne clubhouse where Isle of Man Football Association president Tony Mepham gave a speech before DPS Ltd’s Paul Whitley handed out medals to the players and the Combination Two trophy to Onchan’s captain.
The 2023-24 season will conclude this weekend with the Manx Quality Sheds Hospital Cup final tonight (Friday) and the Gold Cup final this weekend.
PAUL HATTON