FC Isle of Man were beaten by Cheadle Town in the Premier Division at the Bowl on Saturday evening after playing the entire second half with 10 men.

The Ravens had seen Callum Sherry sent off on the stroke of half-time after a mix up at the back during the North West Counties Football League clash at the national stadium.

Cheadle had the game’s first effort of note, with captain Aaron Hevingham striking the post from distance after FC Isle of Man goalkeeper Mark Blair appeared to get a small touch on the strike to tip it onto the woodwork.

While the Ravens, often through Dean Pinnington, plugged away and took control of the game, it was not until the 19th minute that they took the lead.

Sherry intercepted a pass from Hevingham before he played a one-two with Ste Whitley and drove to the by-line where he drilled a cross across goal which came to Jacob Crook.

Crook swivelled on the ball and clipped it into the top corner to score his fifth goal since the turn of the year and give the hosts the advantage.

With neither side able to create much in the rest of the half, it appeared the Ravens would go into the break ahead.

But in added time a mix up at the back was pounced on by Sheriff Njie who went down under a slight tug from Sherry and a sliding Blair, with Sherry shown a straight red and a penalty being awarded.

Oliver Kvaternik stepped up and put the ball just out of Blair’s reach as he dived down to his left to make it 1-1 at the break.

The second half saw few chances for either side as the Ravens 10 men, in particularly the midfield trio of Pinnington, Kyle Watson and Shaun Kelly, battled to deny Cheadle any openings.

At the other end of the pitch, when the Ravens did manage to get forward, they often found Higgins, Whitley or Kelly isolated.

Cheadle nearly took the lead but were denied by a great double save by Blair when first Kvaternik and then Harlan Rodgers-Morris were both denied by the keeper’s legs.

But the visiting team took the lead in the 80th minute as Jonathan Nixon got in behind the home side’s defence to slot past Blair and make it 2-1.

With the Ravens trying to find an equaliser, they pushed forward but were unable to really test James Hodges in the Cheadle goal and it was the visitors who emerged with all three points.

- The Ravens are back at the Bowl this Saturday for the visit of City of Liverpool. Kick-off is 6pm.

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