The Isle of Man FA’s latest Inter-League Cup odyssey came to an end at the competition’s quarter-final stage on Sunday afternoon.

The islanders lost 5-2 to the North Riding League in the last-eight tie, which was played at a muddy Stokesley Sports Club near Middlesbrough.

Paul Jones’s charges made a bright start, but fell behind when the hosts took a 16th minute lead when captain Nathan Liddell headed home a corner from the left.

The island team drew level, nine minutes from the half-time break when Frank Jones swept home Lee Gale’s cut back from the right flank after the Peel winger had got in behind the North Riding full-back.

The hosts, who beat the islanders at Peel in this stage of the competition two years ago, then edged in front again in the ninth minute of the second half when Nico Weatherald’s quick free kick found James Dillon unmarked. He fired past Isle of Man FA debutant keeper Dean Kearns to hand his side the lead.

The Men pressed for a second equaliser and North Riding keeper Patrick Pisani had produced a fine save to deny Ciaran McNulty from close range before the islanders did eventually draw level.

Rushen’s Mike Williams had been a threat down the left since being brought off the bench in the 69th minute and he clawed the islanders back into the game with quarter of an hour to go when he guided home Gale’s low cross.

Just as the momentum looked to be with the visitors, North Riding were gifted a penalty when Sean Quaye upended Matthew McQueeney in the island box.

Weatherald slotted home the spot-kick to edge the hosts in front.

Jones switched to three at the back as he threw numbers forward in search of another leveller that would send the tie to extra time.

This left the island side exposed to the counter-attack and North Riding took advantage to score two late goals to add some gloss to the scoreline.

First sub Jack Guy fired home before tireless striker Stuart Rose nodded in a fifth in injury time to compound the island side’s misery.

Full report and reaction from Paul Jones in Tuesday’s Isle of Man Examiner.