Doyle double helps FC Isle of Man sink Bury

Ravens make it four wins running in encapsulating contest

Two Sean Doyle goals and a sensational performance from goalkeeper Ben Wilkinson helped FC Isle of Man battle to a 3-2 win against Bury AFC in an enthralling NWCFL Premier Division encounter this evening (15 April).

Doyle opened the scoring in the first half with a cool solo finish on 28 minutes before Bury got level five minutes into the second-half through Connor  Comber’s vicious 25-yard half-volley.

The Ravens then scored twice in two minutes with a towering Michael Williams header from a Ste Whitley cross before Doyle bagged another with a header himself from a Whitley corner.

Lewis Gilboy’s deflected strike for the visitors on 63 minutes then set up a tense finale at 3-2, but the Manx side were able to hold on thanks to some sensational saves from Wilkinson to snatch all three points.

In a fiery atmosphere at The Bowl, FC Isle of Man were targeting a fourth straight victory against a Bury AFC side hunting vital points in the promotion race and with a huge following of hundreds of travelling supporters.

The visitors started at lightning pace and tested Wilkinson twice in quick succession in the opening minutes.

First, a low strike on the right of the penalty area from Gilboy six minutes in was stopped by the feet of Wilkinson before the Ravens ‘keeper was called into action again just a minute later to deny Anton Smith’s low drive from 18 yards.

Whilst Bury continued to dominate possession, FC Isle of Man slowly relaxed into a rhythm and went on to break the deadlock on 28 minutes.

Ravens captain, Frank Jones, cushioned a weighted pass between the Bury defence to set Doyle in on goal who strode forward into the Bury box and calmly slotted a low effort past Bury goalkeeper, Jack Atkinson, into the bottom left corner for 1-0.

The hosts would hold their advantage to half-time, but Bury started the second period brightly and were level just five minutes in.

FC Isle of Man half cleared a corner which fell to Connor Comber 25 yards out who controlled the loose ball and lashed a powerful half-volley through a sea of players into Wilkinson’s bottom left corner to level the game.

But just four minutes later, FC Isle of Man stunned ‘The Shakers’ again to regain the lead as Ste Whitley cut inside on the right edge of the Bury penalty area onto his left foot and lofted a cross into the box where Michael Williams rose highest from around 15 yards to guide a pinpoint header into Atkinson’s top left corner.

In a flash it was then 3-1 to the home side with 56 minutes gone, with Whitley again the provider, this time swinging a corner in from the left to meet the head of Doyle six yards out who powered a header into the roof of the Bury net.

But the Ravens two-goal advantage didn’t last long as Bury pulled another back in the 63rd minute as a flowing move down the Bury right flank ended with Gilboy chesting down with his back to goal just inside the box before swivelling and striking at goal with his effort deflecting off FC IOM defender, Jack Higgins, to wrong-foot Wilkinson and sail into the net for 3-2.

Into the last 20 minutes and FC Isle of Man found themselves penned into their own half as Bury furiously pushed for an equaliser.

With 12 minutes to go, Wilkinson produced another huge stop to deny substitute Thomas Greaves at his near post before Bury man, Michael Monaghan, saw his rebound cleared off the line by Higgins.

And in the 89th minute, Wilkinson was the hero again as a Bury corner from the left was met with a powerful header by Jack Tinning, only for Wilkinson to beat the effort away at point blank range.

As time ebbed away for the visitors, FC Isle of Man broke from another Bury corner in the 95th minute when Whitley fed Jacob Crook through on goal before Crook was chopped down by Joseph Denman in the Bury box with referee, Zac Bamber, pointing to the spot in the dying seconds of the contest.

Denman was subsequently shown a red card and up stepped Jack McVey from 12 yards - his low effort was well saved by Atkinson down to the keeper’s right but it had no consequences as the referee then blew for full-time on an absorbing encounter.

The 3-2 win moves FC Isle of Man up to 15th in the table on 49 points - their next and final game of the season is at home against Wythenshawe Town on Saturday, 22 April, kicking-off at 3pm

Man of the Match: Ben Wilkinson (FC Isle of Man)