This nascent stage of the 2013-14 JCK Division Two season has an upside-down feel with Malew, Douglas Athletic and Braddan scaling dizzy heights.
It was the latter who had the chance of reclaiming pole position if they had beaten an out-of-sorts Marown. However, the Crosby outfit approached this fixture in determined fashion, defeating the hosts 2-0 at Victoria Road.
This was the result that David Brew’s side craved following on from their mid-week victory against Pulrose.
Marown now have an ideal platform to build from, most notably from an impressive back-four of Sam Cubbon, Cameron Avery, Jamie Blair and Sean Doyle who were all immense, breaking up numerous opposing attacks with measured precision.
It was a match which saw both teams play high defensive lines and keen to play the ball forward meant it was littered with numerous offsides. As the rain poured down throughout, Marown were eager to make a telling impression early on and Brett Kitching, who revelled in central midfield, unleashed a long-range effort that was acrobatically pushed onto the crossbar by Craig Hardie.
Braddan too were making inroads and Will Smith found the target, however referee Rod Jones had already blown for offside.
With quarter of an hour played, Marown took the lead. Niall Quayle, who made a number of telling runs on the right, beat the offside trap and square the ball to Kitching who exquisitely dinked his effort over the exposed Hardie and into the top right for the opening goal.
Braddan searched for an equaliser. With Adam McCullough leading the attack, the Swans number 10 received a perfect through-ball from Peter Dunn, only for goalkeeper Paul Young to make an important save with his legs.
The Victoria Road striker had a further two chances to level matters. Firstly, his determined run saw the centre-forward slalom his way through the Crosby defence, only to be thwarted by the opposing net-minder. Secondly, being the recipient of John McMullen’s superb cross-field ball, McCullough’s low effort was repelled by Young’s outstretched leg just before half-time.
Three minutes after the restart, Marown got their second when Juan Killip’s free-kick was planted into the mixer and Sean Shimmin got the important touch, heading his effort into the goal.
Killip and Smith had efforts that went wide of the target on both sides of the pitch. Braddan’s best chance of reducing the arrears came after Smith’s throughball found substitute Adam Phair and his shot forced Young into an acrobatic save.
As the match fizzled out into an uninspiring conclusion, Gary Christian fired an effort over the crossbar as three welcome points made their way back to the Memorial Playing fields after the final whistle.
TEAM CHECK
Braddan: Craig Hardie, John McMullen, Andy Marshall (Ben O’Neill 65m), Steve Robertson, Will Smith, Paul Ramsden, Tom Cain, Peter Dunn, David Kinrade (Adam Phair 61m), Adam McCullough (Ray Lovell 55), Mark O’Neill
Marown: Paul Young, Sam Cubbon, Cameron Avery, Jamie Blair, Sean Doyle, Sean Shimmin, Kevin Druggan, Brett Kitching, Juan Killip, Michael Wheeler (Gary Christian 75m) Niall Quayle (Richard Mulhern 61m). Sub not used: Neil Withers
Referee: Rod Jones
Man of the Match: Blair (Marown)
Match rating: HHIII