ST Mary’s came from two goals down to secure a draw with Peel in the Canada Life Premier League on Saturday.
With the third-placed Saints still harbouring feint title hopes it remains to be seen whether it was a point gained or two dropped for Sam Kenny’s Bowl outfit who now trail pacesetters St George’s by five having played the same amount of games as the top-flight holders.
After 20 minutes of the weekend’s encounter at Douglas Road, the Saints would have probably taken a draw with two almost carbon copy goals in quick succession from winger Lee Gale handing Peel the initiative.
Crucially the visitors managed to grab one back two minutes before the break, playmaker Brian Crellin tapping in from six yards after being teed up by Liam Doyle.
This gave the Saints some momentum going into the second period, Doyle winning a penalty just four minutes into the half that goal machine Ste Priestnal coolly converted.
Both teams had chances to land a decisive blow in an open second half, but neither could as an entertaining fixture that belied the heavy pitch conditions ended all square.
After a minute’s silence in honour of Peel legend Terry Vincent who sadly passed away on Christmas Day, it was the visitors from down the A1 that began the match the brighter producing some neat and intricate football to put their western hosts under pressure.
Indeed Ste Priestnal was only a whisker away from giving his side a seventh-minute lead when he poked a raking ball from the right onto the base of the post.
At the other end of the pitch Peel were also only a couple of inches away from taking the lead, skipper Rob Cottier heading narrowly over Andy Quirk’s centre from the right.
Cottier’s chance aside, St Mary’s con tinued to have the better of the opening quarter of an hour and Ste Priestnal forced a fine block out of Stuart Fayle in the Peel goal after being picked out on the edge of the area.
The Saints were soon made to rue their profligacy, island international Gale producing two well-struck volleys midway through the half after St Mary’s twice failed to fully clear Quirk corners from the right.
With a visiting backline missing the off-island Dominic McGreevey still reeling, Gale would have completed a 10-minute hat-trick after being played in by emerging Peel talent Rowan Richardson had it not been for a solid block from Saints’ keeper Max Thomas.
Kenny’s charges eventually regathered their composure and finished the half the stronger of the two sides.
Tom Weir headed wide Marc Priestnal’s corner from the left before Stephen Whitley fired over.
The Saints’ good spell bore fruit in the 43rd minute after lovely move down the left gave Doyle the opportunity to swing in a tantalising low cross that Crellin duly converted.
The home for Christmas Doyle had a hand in his side’s second goal as the defender continued to revel in the more attacking role given to him by Kenny.
Only a matter of minutes into the second 45, Doyle latched onto a long punt from Thomas before being brought down in the box by Peel defender John Kelly. Assistant referee Huw Matthews signalled a spot-kick which was tucked away with consummate ease by Ste Priestnal.
The game’s scoring shouldn’t have stopped there with both set of combatants enjoying chances to add to their respective tallies.
Crellin and Ste Priestnal combined to give the latter’s brother Marc the opportunity to test Fayle before Quirk tried his luck at the other end of an increasingly heavy Douglas Road pitch.
Gale enjoyed two more good opportunities to clinch the match ball. First he fired wide after a neat inter-play with Quirk before finding the side-netting after Danny Bell’s acrobatic effort fell kindly to him in the St Mary’s box.
The introduction of Saints substitutes Connor Gorman and Richard Foden seemed to add some fresh impetus to the visitors.
James Murphy and the influential Crellin both went close for the Bowl outfit before the latter drew a good block from the Peel defence after a determined run by Ste Priesntal.
The visitors hopes of snatching a late winner were given a further boost in the 85th minute when Peel defender Kelly was sent off after receiving a second booking.
However, the closest the Saints got in the match’s remaining few moments was a Murphy header that was cleared off the line by Peel stalwart Danny Lace.
Team check
Peel Stuart Fayle, Kevin Megson, Danny Lace, John Kelly, Rob Cottier ©, Lee Gale, Rowan Richardson (Liam Harrison 79m), Daniel Pickering, Marc Kelly, Daniel Bell, Andy Quirk (Dan Hawke 89m). Sub not used Matty McQuarrie.
St Mary’s Max Thomas, Harry Weatherill, Martin Reilly, James Murphy, Karl Clark (Darren Smethurst 89m), Stephen Whitley (Connor Gorman 71m), Tom Weir, Liam Doyle, Brian Crellin, Marc Priestnal (Richard Foden 71m), Steven Priestnal ©.
Referee Alan Cowin
Assistants Huw Matthews and Peter Crompton
Booked Weir (St Mary’s)
Sent off Kelly (Peel)
Man of the Match Crellin (St Mary’s) Saints attacking midfielder turned in another dazzling display.
Match rating HHHHH