Photo: Ali Gilmore
Cascadia 1 : 4 Ellan Vannin
James Riley: We still have history to write
Cascadia opened their ConIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-1 loss to Ellan Vannin.
They had looked the better side for the first half hour having threatened within a minute of the start before a Manx defender cleared off his own line. They continued to press but it was a wonderful strike by Stephen Whitley against the run of play that put Ellan Vannin ahead inside the opening quarter of an hour.
The Cascadian heads did not go down and inside four minutes, they were level when Josh Doughty scored from inside the area. However the Cascadians did not seriously test the Manx goal thereafter despite a plethora of possession. Anthony Wright flung himself at a cross but failed to connect with a diving header before Calum Ferguson tested Manx keeper Dean Kearns. He also marginally mistimed a run that would have out him clear only to be caught offside by a canny trap laid intelligently by Jack McVey in the 35th minute.
Three minutes later, the Islanders took the lead when Frank Jones scored a go ahead goal after a cross from the left escaped both defenders and goalie, leaving Jones a tight tap in from a narrow angle.
Up 2-1 at half time despite being outplayed, the Islanders came back to produce a much improved second half and stretched their lead without looking in any danger. They really were a different side after the interval and justified their tag as group and for some tournament favourites.
Photo: Ali Gilmore
Warning of their threat came early when Joe Quaye had done the tiring part by bursting forward on a breakaway but shot weakly when in sight of goal. That just delayed the inevitable.
They thoroughly deserved that third, an excellent individual goal scored by Sam Caine before McVey netted the fourth direct from a free kick to settle the score at 4-1. For the rest of the match, it was a matter of damage limitation for the Cascadians.
Ellan Vannin started as group favourties and the defeat does not necessaurily mean an early elimination for the Cascadians. They still have Tami Eelam and Barawa to play. Barawa made a fine start beating Tamil Eelam 4-0.
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