AS the Canada Life Premier League season gets ever closer to its turn, the Isle of Man Newspapers Team of the Week débutantes continue to come thick and fast.
Five of the latest line-up make their seasonal bow this week after impressing Eric Clague’s infamous player ratings panel in Saturday’s round of top-flight matches.
The débuts start at the back, where Douglas High School Old Boys’ man mountain, Liam Buckley, makes his maiden bow of the term after a good showing in the Blackberry Lane outfit’s 11-0 demolition of Castletown.
The former Onchan man also got his name on the scoresheet as Old Boys kept their feint Railway Cup qualification hopes alive.
Slotting in alongside Buckley are two players that have already picked up seven TotW appearances between them thus far this campaign.
Corinthians Chris Cannell makes his third TotW outing after a solid showing and a goal-of-the-season contender against St John’s at Ballafletcher.
Another whose performance caught the eye in that match was Saints’ player-manager Nick Hurt, the island international earning his fourth TotW stripes of the season after helping his side to bolster their Railway Cup hopes with a 1-2 win at the Whites.
Hurt’s goalkeeper Damyan Petkov edges compatriot Kiril Velev (Ramsey) to claim the side’s coveted gloves for a fourth time after another impressive showing for the westerners in their aforementioned victory.
Three of the XI’s four-man midfield make their 2012-13 debut. The reigning Gordon Clague Football Writers Player of the Year St George’s Ciaran McNulty lands his first TotW appearance of the season after pulling the creative strings during Geordies’ 6-0 win over struggling Gymns.
McNulty is joined in the middle third by fellow first-timers Matthew Woods (Peel) and Kris Halsall (Ramsey).
Woods was man of the match as Peel triumphed 1-3 at his former club Union Mills, while Halsall laid on a couple of goals for his side as the northerners picked up an important win at home to fellow relegation candidates Marown.
Completing the midfield ranks is September Player of the Month Michael Hooper who shone in Old Boys’ big win over Castletown.
Up front there’s goals galore, with the side’s front three combining to hit 10 goals between them. Half of them came from DHSOB’s Callum Stewart who bagged five goals against Town to take his tally to the season to 12.
St George’s island striker Calum Morrissey made it nine goals in his last three outings with a brace against Gymns, while Ramsey’s Michael Fernandes confirmed his status as Ramsey’s main goal threat with a hat-trick in their 6-1 win over bottom side Marown.
The referee honours go to Gareth Jones for a second time this season after the former Rushen manager impressed in the middle during St George’s triumph over Gymns.
Team of the Week 20/10/12
Goalkeeper
Damyan Petkov (St John’s) TotW appearances this season: 4
Defence
Liam Buckley (DHSOB) TotW apps: 1
Chris Cannell (Corinthians) TotW apps: 3
Nick Hurt (St John’s) TotW apps: 4
Midfield
Ciaran McNulty (St George’s) TotW apps: 1
Michael Hooper (DHSOB) TotW apps: 2
Matthew Woods (Peel) TotW apps: 1
Kris Halsall (Ramsey) TotW apps: 1
Attack
Callum Stewart (DHSOB) TotW apps: 2
Calum Morrissey (St George’s) TotW apps: 2
Michael Fernandes (Ramsey) TotW apps: 1
Referee:
Gareth Jones (St George’s v Gymns) RotW apps: 2