FC Isle of Man seal huge comeback win over Congleton Town

Furo Davies nets late winner in 3-2 victory

A late Furo Davies header saw FC Isle of Man fight back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 against Congleton Town in the NWCFL Premier Division at The Bowl this evening (29 October).

Congleton Town took the lead ten minutes in through a pinpoint Daniel Needham free-kick before doubling their lead seven minutes later through Thomas Hampton’s cool one-on-one finish.

Luke Murray got the Ravens back in the game on the stroke of half-time heading home from a Ste Whitley free-kick before Charlie Higgins’ close-range strike levelled the game seven minutes into the second-half.

The Manx side then completed the comeback in the 83rd minute when substitute Furo Davies - who got FC Isle of Man’s late equaliser in midweek - nodded home a Michael Williams cross from the right from six yards to give the hosts all three points.

FC Isle of Man went into tonight’s clash hoping to avoid a repeat of their last meeting with Congleton Town in the league on the 27 August at The Cleric Stadium where the Cheshire side had inflicted a resounding 5-1 defeat on the Island outfit.

The majority of the first-half of tonight’s encounter was dominated by an impressive Congleton Town who took a deserved lead after ten minutes when Daniel Needham stepped up to a free-kick on the edge of the FC Isle of Man penalty area and swept a curling strike into Ravens ‘keeper, James Rice’s top right corner.

The visitors then kept up the pressure and punished the home side again on 17 minutes when a loose pass from the Manx side’s defence was picked up by ‘The Bears’ in midfield and a piercing through ball found Congleton striker Thomas Hampton who, one-on-one with Rice, stabbed a low effort into the bottom left corner.

FC Isle of Man struggled during the first 45 to make much headway but got back into the game in the 44th minute when Ste Whitley delivered a free-kick from around 40 yards out on the right to the back post where Luke Murray rose from close range to head low into the bottom corner past Congleton Town stopper, Oliver Hawkins, to make it 2-1.

Buoyed by the goal before the break, FC Isle of Man flew out of the traps in the second period and made it count in the 53rd minute.

A mazing run from Ste Whitley past several Congleton defenders down the left ended with Whitley squaring a pass from a tight angle in the box where Charlie Higgins, twelve yards out and in acres of space, smashed a shot into the top corner for 2-2.

The Ravens then continued to push against a Congleton Town who struggled in the second half to replicate their quality display of the first 45.

In a scrappy game during the closing stages, FC Isle of Man then took the lead for the first time in the game on 83 minutes.

Congleton Town failed to fully clear an FC Isle of Man corner which fell to Ravens midfielder, Michael Williams on the right edge of the Congleton penalty area, and Williams delivered a deft cross into the six-yard box and substitute Furo Davies was there to stoop low and nod home from close range to grab the winning goal.

The victory moves FC Isle of Man onto 17 points in the league table and up to 15th position.

The Ravens next game is against Northwich Victoria in the NWCFL Premier Division at The Bowl on Saturday, 5 November, kicking-off at 6pm.

Man of the Match: Ste Whitley (FC Isle of Man)