FIVE second-half goals at the Stadium on Saturday ensured visitors St John’s United maintained their push to equal their highest ever finish in the top flight (fourth), with a 0-5 mauling of a struggling Castletown side.
It was, however, a far from routine victory as the BCS Railway Cup finalists struggled to find their form during a well-contested opening period.
Both sides were without key strikers, Andy and Stephen Glover being absent for the Saints and Alex Crawley and Michael Edge missing for Town.
The Tynwald Hill boys though looked the more likely to score early on, but efforts from John Haggerdon, Craig Dolman and Antony Moore all failed to find their target.
As the visitors failed to break the deadlock the home side drew in confidence and the lively Brett Allcote came within inches of putting the Reds in front.
The second half, though, was a completely different story with Nick Hurt’s side in control from the off.
Gary Sansbury’s side fell behind after just four minutes when former Everton trainee Haggerdon broke clear before scoring with ease.
Within a minute it was two when Hurt took full advantage of a defensive lapse before guiding the ball home.
Hurt then added his second, four minutes later, converting a cross from the right with a touch of panache.
St John’s Callum Taggart, son of a former Castletown legend Chris, was then unfortunate to see a left wing cross rebound off the woodwork.
With the home defence all at sea, a fourth goal was always on the cards and the persistence of Haggerdon was rewarded as he steered the ball past James Matthews’s despairing dive.
Then after substitute Harry Rothwell somehow failed to convert the chance of the game, a delighted John Wrigley added a fifth during injury time.
TEAM CHECK
Castletown: James Matthews, Tom Charmer, Ashley Sansbury, Karl Staniford, Ashley Southern, Kevin Cain, Lee Davenport, Max Perry, Martin Chalker, Brett Allcote, Stuart Butterworth (John O’Brien)
St John’s: Damyan Petkov, Eric Kelly, Sam Ingham (Harry Rothwell), Nick Leung, Wes Kitching, Antony Moore, Johnny Holland (Tony Duggan), Nick Hurt (John Wrigley) Craig Dolman, Callum Taggart.
Referee: Scott Campion
Assistants: David Murphy and Mark Thomas
Man of the Match: Nick Leung (St John’s) Enjoyed a fine game in the Saints’ defence.
Match Rating: HHHHH
Attendance: 74
l ST John’s striker Andy Glover looks set to miss the next few weeks of the season after injuring his knee ligaments in Wednesday’s BCS Railway Cup final defeat at the hands of St George’s.
The striker was forced off after 33 minutes and is likely to miss the Johnners’ next few games.