FC IoM lose eight-goal thriller against Charnock Richard

Ravens blow two-goal lead in action-packed second half

A goal-feast of a second half saw FC Isle of Man surrender a two-goal lead to eventually lose 5-3 at the hands of Charnock Richard in the NWCFL Premier Division this evening (6 January).

After a goalless first half, the Ravens went two up within 11 minutes of the second through finishes from Sean Doyle and Frank Jones.

But Charnock Richard stunned the Island side after that with three goals in four minutes through Nathan Nickeas, Brad Carsley and Aaron Griffth to take the lead.

Further strikes from Lewis Haydock and Kevin Spinelli for the visitors either side of a second goal for Jones for FC Isle of Man condemned the Manx outfit to a fifth defeat in their last six.

Tonight's contest pitted an FC Isle of Man side hoping to start the new year on a positive note after winning their last game of 2023 last weekend against a Charnock Richard side who were unbeaten in their previous 17 matches.

A goalless first half wouldn't be without chances - Doyle was denied one-on-one by Charnock stopper, Connor Eastham in the 43rd minute after FC IoM 'keeper, Ben Wilkinson had been on hand with a fingertip stop to deny Carsley from close range 24 minutes in.

After an evenly-matched first period, the drama began to unfold in the second as FC Isle of Man broke the deadlock three minutes after the restart.

A long Dan Simpson throw from the left was nodded on by Jones to Doyle six yards out who glanced a second header into Eastham's bottom left-hand corner.

Eight minutes later, a scramble in the Charnock Richard goalmouth ended with Doyle laying a pass back to an onrushing Jones 15 yards out who slammed a low effort into Eastham's bottom right corner for 2-0.

Five minutes after that the tide began to turn as Charnock Richard were gifted their first goal as a Wilkinson slip on the ball in his penalty area allowed Nickeas to rob the ball and slot home into an empty net.

A still-reeling FC Isle of Man were caught out again less than 60 seconds later as a whipped cross from the left from Rustam Stepans found Carsley from six yards who powered a low header past Wilkinson to level the contest.

As the hosts struggled to reset, the visiting outfit struck again on 65 minutes when a Nickeas corner from the right was met by an unmarked Griffith who nodded home from point-blank range to give Charnock Richard the lead and complete a stunning turnaround.

Things then got worse for the Ravens as they were punished from a corner again with twelve minutes remaining as Charnock Richard captain Lewis Haydock was this time on the end of another pin-point cross a few yards out to put daylight between the sides at 4-2.

With time now against them, FC Isle of Man then set up a potential grandstand finish in the 86th minute - a Jacob Crook crossed was spilled by Eastham at his near post with Jones picking up the loose ball and passing into an almost open goal to bring Charnock's advantage back down to one.

Despite ten minutes of additional time at the end of the game, FC Isle of Man struggled to create a clear opening for an equaliser and were hit with the knockout blow with eight minutes of injury time played.

With space on the edge of the FC Isle of Man box - substitute Spinelli shifted the ball onto his right boot before curling a precise low strike to Wilkinson's left for the visitors fifth and to seal the contest.

FC Isle of Man's next match will be away against Padiham on Saturday, 13 January, kicking-off at 3pm.