FC Isle of Man continued their impressive form with a commanding 3-1 win over Abbey Hey at The Bowl on Saturday night, securing their fourth consecutive victory and solidifying their place in the NWCFL Premier Division playoff spots. The Ravens, playing in their final home game before Armistice Day, honoured the fallen with an impeccable pre-match minutes silence.
The game got off to a swift and challenging start as Abbey Hey opened the scoring just two minutes in. Jamal Crawford exploited space on the right to deliver a precise cross for Saul Henderson, who tapped in unchallenged to give the visitors an early lead. Despite this setback, FC Isle of Man responded with resilience, building pressure on the Abbey Hey defence as Dean Pinnington, Luke Booth, and Jacob Crook created chances down both flanks.
The equaliser came in the 20th minute, courtesy of great teamwork and a clinical finish. Ste Whitley sent a deep cross to the back post, where Booth managed to keep the ball in play under tight pressure. Booth’s clipped return pass found Sean Doyle in the six-yard box, who rose to head home and level the score at 1-1, despite claims from Abbey Hey that the ball had gone out of play during the build-up.
Buoyed by the goal, the Ravens took control of the game and found their breakthrough eleven minutes later. Crook, instrumental down the wing, played a clever ball over the Abbey Hey defence. Doyle, aware of his position, left the pass to allow Pinnington to surge through onside, facing Joe Lawton one-on-one. Pinnington stayed composed, firing into the far corner to make it 2-1. Frustrated by the goal and believing there was an offside call missed, Abbey Hey’s bench reacted strongly, leading to a member of their coaching staff receiving a red card for dissent.
In the second half, Abbey Hey regained composure, enjoying spells of possession but struggling to break through a resolute FC IOM defence. Then, just shy of the hour mark, Doyle struck again. Crook, once more influential down the left, delivered a pinpoint cross into the box, where Doyle threw himself forward to direct a diving header past Lawton, giving the Ravens a comfortable 3-1 lead.
Abbey Hey’s hopes of a comeback dimmed further in the 78th minute when Trey Turner received a straight red card for a reckless challenge on substitute Tom Creer. Reduced to ten men, Abbey Hey couldn’t keep up, and FC Isle of Man came close to adding a fourth—most notably through Dan Hattersley, who had a close-range effort blocked on the line.
With the clock ticking down, the referee signalled four minutes of added time. Abbey Hey had one final chance to pull a goal back as Sekobu Sanogo lifted a cross to the back post, but Forshaw’s header sailed over the bar, sealing the 3-1 victory for FC Isle of Man.
Sean Doyle’s standout performance earned him Man of the Match honours, marking a fantastic night for the captain.
This crucial win moves FC Isle of Man into fifth place, keeping their promotion ambitions alive. The Ravens attention now turns to their upcoming away match against Squires Gate on Saturday, 9 November.
