AFC Liverpool v FC Isle of Man, 16th October 2022

We had played FC Isle of Man at the MTA 7 weeks earlier on the August Bank Holiday Monday. That day we ran out comfortable 5-2 winners in the league fixture. The script for this match was a little different, in the first half somewhat surprising perhaps. The Ravens came into the game having lost their last two games, including a 1-0 loss to Padiham in their last home game.

They probably had more chances than us. They were largely from distance, and when they were on target, they were the kind of effort that didn't give Jack McGovern in goal any problem. We had one effort just wide in the closing stages of the first half

Within a few minutes of the restart the visitors should have been in front. A double save from Jack McGovern kept the score at 0-0. Despite that scare, the Reds were starting to assert themselves on the game.

As the second half wore on, it looked more and more likely that if the game would be won in the 90 minutes, that it would be the men in Red. Tom Douglas was seeing a lot of the action down the right, and causing a lot of problems. Also impressive was Adam Brooks on the left, who had started to come into the starting line-up over the last few games which I had missed for one reason or another. He looked technically good, and very strong.

On the 71st minute the man who replaced Adam Brooks, Elliot "Lewandowski" Hughes, made his mark. He got the ball played in the inside-left channel. He turned a couple of defenders, before slotting past James Rice.

The Reds from that point were fairly comfortable. Bizarrely, FC Isle of Man replaced their keeper! Were they hoping for a penalty shoot out? 

The then Manager Matt Potter got his chant. So did Ando, the old gaffer who was there with his little girl. After five minutes of injury time, we were into the next round to face fellow Premier Division high-flyers Wythenshawe Town. I was chatting to Greg and fellow board member Danny in the office later. Alan Harrison came in, and mentioned that one particular Woman from the Isle of Man accused him of being unprofessional for joining in with a certain Kenny chant. Ridiculous! It wasn't as if he was shouting it over the microphone!

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