The Skipton Cup will not come back to the Channel Islands as FC Isle of Man saw off a young Guernsey side at the Bowl on Saturday evening.
The Ravens were the more dominant side throughout the 90 minutes, but Tony Vance’s young side will have learned some more important lessons against a physically imposing side and got some more vital pre-season minutes under their belt.
The hosts controlled most of the game but struggled to create anything clear cut in the early stages. Luke Murray dragged a loose ball wide and Thomas Dodds slid in to clear off the line after a low cross had caused havoc.
Liam Mahon seized onto a loose ball outside the Isle of Man area just after the 20 mintues mark, but his shot flashed a foot or so wide of the far post.
The opening goal came with just a minute to go before the break, with Sean Quaye rising to meet a corner and plant a header past Josh Addison.
The Ravens stepped up a gear after the break and saw several chances go begging.
Lee Gale volleyed back across goal but his well struck effort flashed wide, while Camarda had Addison at full stretch with a lovely shot from 20 yards that just whistled over the crossbar.
A corner then led to a header looping onto Addison’s crossbar, with Gale firing wide in the resulting scramble.
Furo Davies tried to catch Addison out with an early shot after tussling with Jacob Fallaize, but Addison shuffled across to his right and got down to hold it.
A sramble in the Guernsey goalmouth midway through the half saw three chances go begging for the hosts. Jacob Crook’s effort was blocked, Addison clawed away a header from Davies as the ball looped up, then Murray volleyed just wide
But the pressure paid just a minute later with the second goal as Isle of Man counter attacked and a low centre from the left was drilled back across goal into the corner by Gale.
There could have been a third just three minutes later. Addison didn’t know much about it, but somehow kept out Gale’s header from inside the six-yard box.
Thomas Dodds sliced wide from distance, but there was still plenty of danger at the other end as Crook cracked a rising drive against Addison’s crossbar.
Substitute Brandon Wallace cut in from the right and curled towards the near post with five minutes left, but Dean Kearns got down to field it with what was his only save of the match.
Sid Batty flashed a shot just wide from 20 yards shortly before the final whistle, which signalled a deserved victory for the Ravens.
The two sides have now shared the trophy between them with one win each. The Green Lions will have a chance to win back the Skipton Cup next summer.
FC Isle of Man: 1 Dean Kearns; 2 Karl Clark; 3 Chris Cannell (18 Ryan Burns, 75’); 4 Alex Maitland; 5 Sean Quaye; 6 Jack Camarda (15 Ronan McDonnell, 75’); 7 Lee Gale (12 Sid Batty, 69’); 8 Chris Bass Jnr (c); 9 Furo Davie; 10 Jacob Crook; 11 Luke Murray (16 Ashley Higginbotham, 75’).
Goals: Quaye 44’; Gale 68’.
Guernsey: 1 Josh Addison; 2 Tyler McKane; 3 Ben Le Tocq (12 Keanu Marsh 56’); 4 Tom Vaudin; 5 Jacob Fallaize; 6 Ben Solway (16 Paris Pereira, 62’); 7 Liam Mahon; 8 Thomas Dodds; 9 Keene Domaille (15 Brandon Wallace, 73’); 10 Glenn Le Tissier (14 Robbie Legg, 52’); 11 Matt Loaring (c).