FC Isle of Man’s rejuvenation continued over the weekend as they overcame Winsford United at the Bowl, with Jack McVey’s penalty enough for a 1-0 win.

Bouncing back from a 0-1 defeat the previous weekend, the Ravens were the better side throughout Saturday’s game and thoroughly deserved their win.

Returning to the Bowl after two weeks on the road, Paul Jones’s side started the better with Karl Clark unlucky to see his powerful header from a Ste Whitley header cleared off the line.

With chances at a premium in the first half, Winsford’s best effort came as Jack Hart glided past Clark only to see his effort turned away by the returning Dean Kearns at his near post.

Despite a bit of handbags at dawn following a cynical Ronan McDonnell foul which led to bookings being handed out to both sides, there was little to get excited about in the first half as both sides cancelled each other out.

The second half carried on much the same as the first, with the Ravens keeping the visitors at bay and controlling possession but with little to show for it.

The breakthrough eventually came when a sweeping pass to Eoghain Sherrard saw the right-back drive into the Winsford box, only to be wiped out by the visitors’ captain Steven Lyons.

Referee Alexander Phillips duly awarded the Ravens a penalty that was cooly dispatched by Jack McVey who sent the keeper the wrong way with a stuttering run up.

Despite Winsford going looking for an equaliser, a mature performance from the Ravens kept the visitors at bay and saw them hold out for a 1-0 win that takes them up to 19th in the North West Counties Premier Division and, more importantly, nine points clear of relegation.

l FC Isle of Man are back in action tonight (Tuesday) away at Longridge Town.

Their next home game isn’t until March 18 for the reserve fixture when Longridge come to the Bowl.