Camarda & Murray send FC IOM to play-off final

Ravens deliver monumental result in front of record crowd

A screamer from Jack Camarda and a double from Luke Murray have secured FC Isle of Man a place in the NWCFL Div 1 South play-off final next week in a 3-0 victory over Wythenshawe Amateurs tonight (9 April).

Kick-off for Saturday’s semi-final showdown in front of a record crowd at The Bowl was delayed by 90 minutes due to severe disruption to the flight carrying the visiting team from Manchester earlier in the day.

Both sides knew a win would see them face New Mills in the play-off final in seven days time after the Derbyshire club beat Abbey Hey 1-0 in the other semi-final this afternoon.

From the start, it was Wythenshawe who started the brightest and almost took the lead with 16 minutes gone - neat play down the left from Ammies’ midfielder, William Shawcross, saw him square a pass to Keith Kanakulya five yards from goal, but his close range effort was blocked on the line by FC IOM defender, Ryan Burns.

The visitors then relentlessly pressed a shaky Ravens defence, and it needed a flying save by Ravens goalkeeper, Matthew Quirk, to deny Shawcross a sensational half-volleyed effort on goal from outside the box on 31 minutes.

Despite a commanding first-half display from the away side, the Manx outfit began to find their feet toward the end of the first half.

With 42 minutes gone, some tenacious play from FC Isle of Man’s Sam Caine into the Wythenshawe box down the right saw him find Dan Simpson who, at the second attempt, smashed a strike into the net from six yards - however, the deafening cheers of the home support were short-lived with the goal ruled out for offside after the ball hit striker, Sean Doyle, on the line before going in.

Despite soaking up so much pressure in the first period, it was FC Isle of Man who took the lead just before the break in emphatic style.

Wythenshawe Amateurs half-cleared a Ravens corner to Jack Camarda who, from 25 yards, hit a stunning half-volley into Ammies’ goalkeeper, Kyle Haslam’s top right corner off the crossbar, sparking phenomenal celebrations from the record home crowd.

1-0 up at half time and it was FC Isle of Man who began the second half with the greater intensity and confidence.

The Ravens were rewarded for their efforts on 59 minutes when a wicked corner from the right from Dan Simpson was met by Luke Murray from six yards who crashed a powerful header low into the net to make it 2-0.

This seemed to dent the confidence of the Wythenshawe side further, but the visitors were handed a lifeline on 69 minutes when FC IOM were reduced to ten men after Adam Mealin was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on Ammies defender, Joel Aikenhead, triggering a brief melee between players from both sides in an increasingly fiery atmosphere under the floodlights.

However, despite the one-man advantage, Wythenshawe just couldn’t find the quality they’d shown in the first half and struggled to test the deep-lying Ravens defence despite their best efforts.

Then, with eleven minutes remaining, FC IOM made certain of their place in the play-off final when Murray got his second of the game and the home side’s third when he was first to a long throw from Simpson on the right and his nodded effort from close range looped beyond the outstretched arm of Haslam and settled in the bottom right corner of the net, sparking more wild celebrations from the home supporters.

Despite a late flurry of play from the visitors, FC IOM held out to secure a 3-0 victory at full-time to reach the NWCFL Div 1 South play-off final in their first ever league campaign.

The win means the Ravens will host New Mills in the final at The Bowl next Saturday (16 April), with a provisional kick-off time of 6.30pm

Attendance: 2,758

Man of the Match: Luke Murray (FC Isle of Man)