FC Isle of Man will host Bury AFC at the Bowl this weekend in the Premier Division of the North West Counties Football League.

A phoenix club of the now defunct Bury FC which was expelled from the Football League in 2019, the AFC side won the NWCFL Division One North league title last year.

More than 600 fans are expected to travel with the Lancashire club for this weekend’s clash. The visitors are currently lying fourth in the table and are battling it out to secure promotion to the Northern Premier League.

Therefore it should be a very tough game for FC Isle of Man but the Ravens will be in a confident mood having won their last three games.

The match kicks off at the Bowl at 6pm on Saturday.

Locally, the league action gets underway on Friday night under the floodlights at Mullen-e-Cloie where St John’s host Canada Life Premier League title hopefuls and newly-crowned FA Cup winners Corinthians.

On Saturday, Peel will hope to bounce back from their FA Cup final defeat and keep their Premier League title aspirations firmly on track when they host Marown at Douglas Road.

Elsewhere, St George’s will be aiming to boost their survival hopes when they take on bottom-of-the-table DHSOB at Glencrutchery Road, while relegation-threatened Onchan face a potentially daunting trip to Croit Lowey to face Rushen United.

The other two games in the top flight this weekend see high-flying Union Mills welcome defending champions Ayre United to Garey Mooar, while Douglas Royal host Ramsey at Ballafletcher.