FC Isle of Man were forced to settle for a point on Saturday evening as they played out a 2-2 draw with South Liverpool at The Bowl. A brace from Charlie Higgins ensured the Ravens avoided defeat, but they were unable to find the all-important winner against the Merseyside outfit.
The game got off to the worst possible start for the hosts. Barely two minutes had passed when South Liverpool took the lead, capitalising on a sluggish opening from the Ravens. Charlie Glennon found space inside the box and guided a looping header over Adam Killey to stun the home crowd.
FC Isle of Man nearly fell further behind just moments later when Elliot Owen raced clear and rounded Killey, only for Jacob Crook to produce a superb last-ditch clearance off the line to keep the deficit at one.
Despite the early setbacks, the Ravens regrouped and found an equaliser in the 11th minute with a well-worked goal. Ste Whitley showed great awareness to pick out Higgins with a driven pass across the face of goal, and the in-form forward made no mistake from close range, sliding in to bring the hosts level.
The goal breathed life into the home side, and Higgins nearly turned provider minutes later, testing South Liverpool’s goalkeeper Lucas Allan with a low drive. Adding to FC Isle of Man’s woes in the first half, Ronan McDonnell was then forced off with a foot injury in the 22nd minute, requiring assistance as he limped from the field.
However, just as the Ravens looked to be settling, they were dealt another blow in the 24th minute when South Liverpool were awarded a penalty. The referee deemed there had been a push inside the area, and Stephen Milne stepped up to confidently convert from the spot, restoring the visitors’ lead.
The Ravens looked to respond before the break and had a very strong penalty shout of their own waved away after appeals for handball, but they went into the interval trailing by a single goal.
The second half began with renewed urgency from the home side, and their persistence paid off five minutes after the restart. A scrappy passage of play saw South Liverpool fail to clear their lines following a corner, and Higgins was once again in the right place at the right time to stab the ball home and level the match at 2-2.
With the game finely poised, both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances in the remaining minutes. The Ravens pushed forward in search of a winner, with Whitley and Higgins linking up well, but a stubborn South Liverpool defence stood firm. A late substitution saw Higgins make way for fresh legs in Wosser, but neither team could muster a decisive moment in the six minutes of added time.
The draw extends FC Isle of Man’s run without a win to seven matches, but they will take small positives from their attacking play and Higgins continued fine form in front of goal. The Ravens will now turn their attention to next Saturday’s fixture at The Bowl, where they will face promotion-chasing Lower Breck. That match kicks off at 18:00.
Man of the Match: Charlie Higgins
