Higgins hat-trick hands Ravens vital win

FC Isle of Man beat ten-man Charnock Richard to end losing streak

A Charlie Higgins hat-trick saw FC Isle of Man end their five-game losing streak in a 3-2 win over ten-man Charnock Richard in the NWCFL Premier Division this evening (13 September).

Higgins put FC Isle of Man in control with first-half goals in the 13th and 30th minute before Charnock Richard's Gareth Peet was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle later in the first 45.

But in the second period, Charnock Richard staged an almighty comeback against the odds with a double from Jordan Darr to level things up.

However, the Manx side grabbed a winner with ten minutes to go as Higgins bagged a third from the penalty spot after Callum Sherry was brought down by Marcus Haydock in the Charnock Richard penalty area.

Back on home soil tonight, FC Isle of Man took to The Bowl still hoping to lift themsevles off of the foot of the league table against a Charnock Richard side harbouring ambitions of pushing towards the promotion play-off spots at this early stage of the campaign.

The hosts broke the deadlock on 13 minutes when some short, sharp passes on the edge of the Charnock Richard box culminated in Higgins breaking through and slotting a low effort into the bottom corner past Charnock goalkeeper, Joshua Scurr.

On the half-hour mark FC Isle of Man's lead was doubled as a Dean Pinnington ball over the Charnock Richard defence found Higgins on the right who beat the offside trap and, from a tight angle on the right, drove a strike low past Scurr into the far bottom corner.

Now trailing by two, Charnock Richard's task became even more difficult eight minutes later as a wild challenge from Peet on FC Isle of Man's Adam Kerruish saw the visiting defender shown a straight red with Kerruish himself forced off with injury in the aftermath of the incident.

After the restart for the second period, it was ten-man Charnock Richard who emerged the sharper of the two sides and got themselves back into the contest on 56 minutes.

A long Sky Sinclair throw-in from the right into the FC Isle of Man penalty area was nodded on by Ben Hoskin to an unmarked Darr who glanced a header over Ravens' stopper, Adam Killey from around five yards to make it 2-1.

Charnock Richard then took advantage of more shaky FC Isle of Man play on 70 minutes when a long ball down the right found Darr again who skipped past two challenges before cutting inside and - one-on-one with Killey - coolly placed a low effort past Killey at the near post to level the game.

Despite the man advantage, FC Isle of Man were largely second-best in the second half but were handed a golden opportunity with 12 minutes to go as a Ste Whitley cross from left looked for Sherry at the back post where he was bundled over by Haydock, and after a brief pause referee, Leon Westermann pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Higgins after a short delay and he confidently struck home for his and FC Isle of Man's third, rifling into the top corner and sending Scurr in the opposite direction in the process.

Into second-half stoppage time and Charnock Richard had home fans' hearts in mouths in the 94th minute as Fenton Davies unleashed a well-struck half-volley from the edge of the box which Killey just managed to tip onto his right-hand post.

Two minutes later and with Charnock Richard pushing bodies forward for an equaliser, FC Isle of Man hit their opponents on the break and with Scurr way out of his area just inside his half, Whitley squared a pass to substitute, Joe Middleton who - with an open goal to aim for from around 40 yards - inexplicably sent a side-footed effort wide of the post.

That missed chance would turn out not to matter for the home side, however, as the final whistle blew shortly after to see FC Isle of Man take the three points and lift themselves off of the bottom of the division.

FC Isle of Man's next match will be away against AFC Liverpool on Tuesday, 16 September, kicking-off at 7.45pm

Man of the Match: Charlie Higgins (FC Isle of Man)