Report by Stephen Howard

Pictures by Conor McLoughlin

Heys were unable to back up their weekend victory at Squires Gate as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat to FC Isle of Man at Adie Moran Park on Tuesday night.

In a hard fought, fast paced contest, they will reflect on a couple of first half chances which they failed to take that may have given the game a completely different complexion. Notwithstanding that, Heys did take the lead early in the second half through Dylan Fitzgerald, but it was a lead they were to hold for only five minutes and thereafter they lost direction as The Ravens asserted a measure of control to take the points.

After the weekend victory there was an air of anticipation as the game got underway and Heys set off at a cracking pace. In the 4th minute they should have taken the lead. As the ball fizzed about in the visitor’s penalty area, as they struggled to clear, the ball broke to Fitzgerald, ten yards out, but he fired over the bar.

Heys keeper Louis Hood was called into action in the 10th minute making a sharp save, low down from the lively Dean Pinnington who had found space in the penalty area.

It was followed by a good spell from the away side, but the threat remained from Heys. Fitzgerald cut into the box in the 18th minute before seeing his shot deflected into the side netting before two minutes later came another great chance as he saw a shot blocked, with the ball breaking to Sousa, but his shot from ten yards, was cleared off the line.

The visitors then enjoyed a decent spell of possession, pressing and probing, but Heys defence was solid. Likewise, however their early attacking momentum had dimmed as they allowed themselves to be pushed back down the pitch, struggling to get forward.

The Ravens almost levelled in the 35th minute as Pinnington fired in a shot from 25 yards that just cleared the bar. With the game developing into something of a stalemate, Heys went in at the break perhaps reflecting on those two earlier chances.

If they were, then they came out in the mood to rectify it and within five minutes they took the lead with a super goal. Heys worked the ball well, down the right, as Gabriel Mooney-Munoz and Fitzgerald combined to release Graham and when he crossed low into the box the ball fell to Fitzgerald, who had continued his run, and from fifteen yards out, he took a touch before firing low into the bottom corner.

Heys joy was short lived however as five minutes later the visitors levelled. From a corner the hosts struggled to clear their lines with Hood pushing a header onto the bar before the ball was forced home from close range by Charlie Higgins.

The goal appeared to sap the energy from Heys play and although they enjoyed spells of possession, they were finding it hard to create anything of note with the away side looking the more threatening, even if Heys defence was proving equal to the task.

However, in the 68th it was the Isle of Man who took the lead. A lightning break down the left from Callum Sherry took him into the box and when he crossed into the near post the ball was stabbed home from close range by Adam Adebiyi.

Shortly after the away team were temporarily reduced to ten men when McVey was sin binned but they had their tails up and in the 73rd minute they went close again when Stephen Whitley fired a shot against the bar.

Heys looked for a way back, bringing on fresh legs in Adam Dahou, Ardian Gashi and Callum Bond for Sousa, Fenton Reeves and Riche Makelele but their overall play lacked the purpose and direction of their earlier endeavours. A 20-yard shot from Shay Stansfield that just cleared the bar in the 80th minute being the closest they came to scoring.

Any hopes of a comeback were ended two minutes from time when Heys got in a real mess and ended up conceding a penalty from which Jack McVey secured the points for the visitors.

A disappointing outcome for Heys who never kicked on after taking the lead and lost their way once the visitors levelled. They showed plenty of endeavour and spirit throughout but key moments at either end proved their undoing.

TEAM; Louis Hood, Callum Graham, Riche Makelele, Shay Stansfield, Kian Sharples, Finley Stanyer, Erike Sousa, Gabriel Mooney-Munoz, Dylan Fitzgerald, Fenton Reeves, Sonny Reeves, Substitutes: Callum Bond (for Makelele 78 mins), Adam Hampshire, Edward Schryburt, Adam Dahou (for Sousa 72 mins), Ardian Gashi (for Fenton Reeves 78 mins)