Manx football fans have a ’Super Saturday’ to look forward to this weekend, with not one but two massive games looming large.
FC Isle of Man face North West Counties Division One title rivals West Didsbury & Chorlton in a second versus first clash at the Bowl.
The pair are deadlocked on 34 points at the head of the Manx top-flight standings, although the unbeaten Railway Cup winners have two games in hand over their hosts this weekend.
The two Uniteds have met twice already this campaign with the northerners landing the spoils on both occasions.
Nick Hurt’s Tangerines won the pair’s Railway Cup semi-final 8-2 in December. This followed a 3-1 league triumph in Andreas in October.
Both sides have been hampered in recent weeks by postponements, indeed the Spaniards haven’t had a run out since the end of January when they were beaten by Corinthians 4-1. This may just give Ayre the edge.
In the North West Counties League, Chris Bass Sr’s free-scoring Ravens could go top with a third successive victory.
The visitors from Manchester currently lead the Ravens by two points, albeit having played three games less than the island side.
Last weekend’s trip to Stafford Town saw the Manx outfit surpass the 100-goals scored mark during their 5-1 triumph.
Unbeaten since the turn of the calendar year, the Ravens will be hoping to avenge a 3-0 loss in the reverse fixture, which also saw them finish the match with 10 men after Sean Quaye’s two bookings.
That game was level till the hour mark, and only two late goals put a gloss on the scoreline in favour of the Manchester outfit that have only lost once in the league all term suggesting a tight game this weekend.
Nevertheless, cheered on by what is likely to be one of the Ravens’ biggest crowds of the season so far, Bass Sr’s in-form side will be confident of claiming the points to keep their title and promotion hopes alive heading into the final six games of a remarkable debut league campaign.