Peel move to within a point of Cup berth
RAILWAY CUP QUALIFICATION RACE: St Johns highly rated goalkeeper Damyan Petkov claims the ball under pressure from Corinthians Louis Thornton during Saturdays Canada Life Premier League clash at Ballafletcher. A goal of the season contender from the Whites in-form defender Chris Cannell gave the hosts a first-half lead only for Andy Glover, his ninth in nine games, and John Haggerdon to hit back and secure the Saints all three points. The 1-2 victory moves the Johnners up to third in the standings as they home in on one of the divisions four Blackburn Construction Railway Cup spots. The Saints entertain Laxey at Mullen-e-Cloie on Friday evening in this seasons first floodlit match
PEEL moved to within a point of the Canada Life Premier League’s fourth Railway Cup spot on Saturday after beating Union Mills 1-3 at Garey Mooar.
The westerners hopes of competing in the top-flight’s traditional Christmas jamboree were boosted thanks to three first-half goals from Andrew Crennell, Marc Kelly and Daniel Bell as Rick Holden’s men swept aside their lacklustre hosts.
An off-colour Mills improved after the break, but Steven Quine’s neat finish was their only consolation from a poor day at the office.
Peel took advantage of a hesitant start by Derek Cowley’s home side, taking the lead after just 10 minutes played when centre-back Crennell took advantage of some slack marking to turn in Bell’s corner from the left.
With the home side still not out of the blocks, Peel threatened to cut loose driven forward by former Miller Matthew Woods and Marc Kelly in the Sunset City outfit’s midfield engine room.
The latter released the lively Lee Gale as the Mills’ defence reeled, goalkeeper Danny Christian coming to their rescue with a good save to deny the island winger.
With the Millers wasteful in possession on their bobbly Garey Moar pitch, Peel continued to dominate, Bell teeing up Kelly to draw another good save out of the increasingly busy Christian.
Midway through the opening 45 minutes, Peel deservedly doubled their lead when Marc Kelly headed in John Kelly’s measured cross to the back post.
Mills hopes then took another blow as talented wide-man Matty Cain was forced off injured just before the half-hour mark.
Peel compounded the Mills’ loss further just five minutes later when Daniel Bell curled in from the edge of the area.
The home side’s best spell of the match came either side of the half-time break. Just before the interval a quick Mills counter-attack nearly bore the fruit of a goal when Michael Nash played in David Thommeny, The Scottish striker’s first-time lob went agonisingly wide of Stuart Fayle’s goal as the big stopper advance out to meet the Mills attacker.
No doubt with the words of Cowley ringing in their ears Mills made the better start to the fixture’s second period and netted six minutes into it when Quine rifled in Paul Blair’s low cross from the right.
The Millers tried to get a further foot-hold in the match, but as the condition of the pitch deteriorated so did the standard of the football on show. Indeed Bulgarian referee Nehko Marimov’s Manx debut performance became the period’s main talking-point as the game toiled.
Kerron Christian and substitute Liam Harrison both had chances for Peel as the half wore on, but neither could land a telling blow as the westerners managed to hold their opponents at arms length until Marimov’s final whistle.
Team check
Union Mills Danny Christian, James Cannell, Dan Woznica, Stephen Halsall, Karl Dobbin (c), Paul Blair (David Clark 78m), Gareth Logan, Michael Nash (Richie Cannell 78m), Matty Cain (David Thommeny 28m), Kyle Uren, Steven Quine.
Peel Stuart Fayle, John Kelly, Daniel Lace, Rob Cottier (c), Andrew Crennell, Kevin Megson (Aaron Costain 80m), Matthew Woods (Stephen Tidy 67m), Marc Kelly, Daniel Bell, Kerron Christian, Lee Gale (Liam Harrison 85m).
Referee Neshko Marimov
Assistants John McCallum and Gerry Thomson
Booked Woods, Gale, M. Kelly (Peel)
Man of the Match: Woods (Peel) impressed in the holding midfield role against his former club
Match rating HHHHH
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Weather for Isle of Man
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 6 C to 10 C
Wind Speed: 35 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 7 C to 14 C
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