The rain and strong winds played havoc with the local sporting fixture card last weekend.

One of the three Canada Life Premier League games that went ahead was at Croit Lowey where Rushen United registered their second successive win, beating bottom-of-the-table Braddan 4-0.

After a stuttering start to the season, the wind is now in the Spanish Armada sails, with Rushen sailing away from the relegation zone and into midtable.

But it could have been a different story. Braddan had four chances in the first half to get on the scoresheet, whereas Rushen’s only shot on target in the opening 45 resulted in the opening goal.

This, coupled with the introduction of Michael Williams on the half-hour who bossed the midfield, played a critical role in this southern victory.

Braddan played with real purpose in the first half and should have taken the lead within the first minute. An excellent cross-field pass put Noah Vowles free on the right who got the better of the advancing goalkeeper Tony Harris and crossed to Nick Hatton (no relation to your correspondent) but, staring at an empty net at close range, he somehow steered his effort wide.

The home side, at times during this opening spell, looked flat and off the pace and their first chance came when Ryan Crawley headed wide from a free-kick.

Braddan were presented with another glorious opportunity.

Vowles again was put clear on the right and raced through on goal but steered his shot straight at the goalkeeper before the southerners cleared the danger.

Chances kept on coming for the visitors, Dillion Barton’s corner eluding everybody and curling around the target, then moments later Hatton drove a shot wide across goal.

Rushen gradually started to find their feet as Cameron Dudley and Crawley had efforts off target.

Then on 40 minutes they opened the scoring. Leo Tregurtha’s free-kick found Williams who shielded the ball with his back to goal before the ball fell to Hawley who curled a shot inside the right post and into the back of the net.

After the break, there was a lack of attacking threat from either side as the few chances went wide off target, but it was Rushen who finished the game strongly by firing in three goals within 16 minutes.

On 74 minutes Rushen doubled their lead when Alex Guy dinked a pass to Hawley who fired home a diagonal shot into the goal.

Two minutes later it was 3-0 when Williams worked a one-two with Crawley and squared a pass into the six-yard box for Joe Reid to run onto to steer home.

Braddan goalkeeper Harry Callin pulled off his first save of the match on 82 minutes, denying Crawley when he escaped his marker on the left. One minute later the shot-stopper was called into action again, claiming the ball from Chris Shimmin’s header.

But Callin couldn’t prevent Rushen from scoring a fourth on 90 minutes when the Spaniards were awarded a penalty after Williams was tripped.

Hawley scored from the spot to complete a hat-trick and a good day at the office for the southerners.