A secOND-HALF Alex Crawley hat-trick helped Castletown secure a staggering 0-7 victory over basement rivals Ramsey in this highly significant Canada Life Premier League contest on Saturday.
After losing at home 0-2 to the Mooragh Park men the week before, the southernerners looked set for a difficult afternoon.
Gary Sansbury’s side, however, produced their best performance of the season and for most of the game looked sharper and quicker to the ball.
The visitors made a lively start and, as a result, were two up within the first 10 minutes. The opener followed a well-directed corner from Ashley Sansbury that was strongly headed home by Ashley Southern. Max Perry then added a second, impressively converting a smartly delivered cross from Jack Charmer.
To be fair, the hosts were missing a number of key players and were forced into fielding a make-shift defence.
Brian Carney’s side, though, competed well during the opening half and their best effort on goal from midfielder Blagoy Smilyanov required an equally impressive save from ‘Town keeper Jake Sansbury.
Then 10 minutes from the break the home defence failed to clear a free-kick delivered into the box and Charmer took full advantage to slam home a third.
Martin Torr looked the home side’s best forward and he produced two fine efforts but both failed to find the target.
The visitors made another impressive start to the second period and within three minutes it was 4-0. Ashley Sansbury took full advantage of a strangely static home defence to cleverly convert a well-taken free-kick. The home side were hampered for most of the half when keeper Kiril Velev had to be replaced in goal by defender Jamie Arneil.
After the goal the match fell into the doldrums where it remained until Crawley brought it back to life. The pocket-sized terrier completed a remarkable hat-trick to take the game well out of the home side’s reach. His first goal was the result of a fine run and cross from Tom Charmer that only required a tap in. His second followed the best move of the game which ended with a smartly delivered cross from Lee Davenport. The final goal came via the penalty spot after Davenport had been fouled in the box.
TEAM CHECK
Ramsey: Kiril Velev (Ciaran Quigley) Daniel Tate, Alex Yates, Robbie Campbell, Jamie Arneil, Blagoy Smilyanov, Craig Dalton, Matty Montgomery, Michael Fernandes, Martin Torr, Liam Parker (Adam Curphey)
Castletown: Jake Sansbury, Tom Charmer, Ashley Sansbury, Karl Staniford, Ashley Southern, Kevin Cain, Lee Davenport, Brett Allcote, Jack Charmer (Mark Potts) Max Perry (Stuart Butterworth), Alex Crawley
Referee: Danny Cowin - had a good, steady game and did his best to keep the match following
Assistants: Peter Beighton and Peter Halpin
Man of the Match: Ashley Southern - a real rock at the heart of a well-organised ‘Town defence
Match rating: HHHII
Attendance: 66
l Elsewhere in the Canada Life Premier League, Rushen United thumped bottom-of-the-table Marown 7-1.
Mike Williams was the hero for the Spaniards as he netted no fewer than four goals, while there were further strikes from Danny Oates, Aaron Hawley and Steve Riding. Kevin Druggan netted Marown’s consolation.
Corinthians remain three points behind Rushen in midtable after beating Union Mills. Mike Nash and Steven Quine put Mills two up but strikes from Danny McMahon, Jamie Stoy and an own goal sealed a 3-2 win for the Whites.