Young Miner debuts in TotW
NINE-GOAL THRILLER: Rushen centre-back Michael Baker reacts quickest to turn the ball home after Peel goalkeeper Stuart Fayle had parried Jack Saxons initial effort. Peel eventually won the Old Firm battle 5-4
THE 2012-13 Manx football league season may already be a third of the way through but another two players make their debuts in the latest installment of Team of the Week.
With the table shaping up nicely as the battle for a place in the Railway Cup intensifies, it is no surprise to see league leaders Laxey well represented in the nation’s favourite hypothetical XI with no fewer than three players making up the backbone of the side.
One of last Saturday’s top performers in the top flight was Corinthians goalkeeper Joe Kelly who earned his secondTeam of the Week appearance of the season. Despite ending up on the losing side, the Whites’ shotstopper produced a superb display of acrobatic heroics in between the sticks when his side travelled to the Bowl to face St Mary’s, denying the Saints an even bigger win with some simply outstanding saves.
Lining up in a formidable three-man defence in front of Kelly are Michael Baker, Rob Cottier and the first of the aforementioned Laxey trio, Neil Brogan.
Cottier and Baker went head-to-head during the old firm clash at Douglas Road where Peel just edged Rushen in a nine-goal thriller.
Despite the plethora of goals, both Baker and Cottier were in fine form throughout the game and managed to get on the scoresheet for their respective teams. As a result, centre-back Baker has now earned his TotW stripes for an impressive fourth time already this season.
Brogan enjoyed a good game at the back for Laxey as the Miners ran out comfortable 0-7 winners over relegation battlers Gymns at Tromode.
One of his Glen Road team-mates, Jackson Brown, also impressed during that match and the youngster has been rewarded with his first appearance in Team of the Week.
Also making his seasonal bow is DHSOB captain Craig Stewart who made a goalscoring return for the Blackberry Lane outfit as he and his brother Callum helped Old Boys claim a share of the spoils in a 2-2 draw with St John’s.
Slotting in alongside Stewart and Brown in a four-man midfield is St George’s duo James McStay and Frank Jones. Both players were instrumental in Geordies clocking up the biggest victory of the week, a resounding 9-0 win over Marown, with McStay even helping himself to a goal in the process. Jones now has three TotW appearances to his name already this season.
The forward line takes a slightly different approach this week, with two wingers and one striker who, between them, netted six goals at the weekend.
Leading the attack is August Player of the Month Mark Wolfenden who has set Glen Road alight since his summer switch from Castletown up the east coast and netted a fine hat-trick during Laxey’s 7-0 win.
Flanking Wolfie are two of the league’s most exciting players, St Mary’s Brian Crellin and Union Mills’ Matty Cain. The latter scored a sublime free-kick for his side during the Millers 3-1 win at Castletown while Crellin grabbed a brace as the Saints overcame Corinthians 4-1, despite the aforementioned heroics of Joe Kelly.
Not content with one top official in the middle, the latest TotW boasts two referees of the week after Peter Crompton and Peter Lewis impressed in charge of the Marown v St George’s and Gymns v Laxey contests respectively.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Goalkeeper
Joe Kelly (Corinthians)
Team of the Week appearances: 2
Defence
Neil Brogan (Laxey) TotW apps: 2
Rob Cottier (Peel) TotW apps: 2
Michael Baker (Rushen) TotW apps: 4
Midfield
James McStay (St George’s) TotW apps: 2
Frank Jones (St George’s) TotW apps: 3
Craig Stewart (DHSOB) TotW apps: 1
Jackson Brown (Laxey) TotW apps: 1
Attack
Brian Crellin (St Mary’s) TotW apps: 3
Matty Cain (Union Mills) TotW apps: 2
Mark Wolfenden (Laxey) TotW apps: 3
Referee(s)
Peter Crompton (Marown v St George’s)
Referee of the Week appearances: 1
Peter Lewis (Gymns v Laxey) RotW apps: 1
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Weather for Isle of Man
Saturday 25 May 2013
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