The Bullets fell to their second home defeat of the season as first-time visitors to South Cheshire FC Isle of Man ran out 3-0 winners in a keenly contested game at Wood Park.

The hosts were forced into a change at the back with Danny Figarella coming in for Luke Vayro.

The Bullets started on the front-foot, almost taking the lead inside the first minute. Ryan Malone got inside his man and slotted his effort past the FC Isle of Man keeper, but there wasn't quite enough on it, and the ball was hacked off the line. And two minutes later, Hunaish Essa got his first sight of goal but put it well wide.

But the visitors soon settled and began to put their hosts under real pressure, looking particularly dangerous from set-pieces. Their first big chance came on eighteen minutes, but Joey Oldham made a comfortable save.

The Ravens' pressure eventually paid off on thirty-three minutes, when Jack Camarda fired them in front. And they doubled their advantage in first-half stoppage time thanks to a Luke Murray header.

Half-time: Alsager Town 0 FC Isle of Man 2

A big shift was needed from the Bullets if they were to get back in the game, and they almost got off to the perfect start when Mamudo Dabo broke clear but put his effort straight at the keeper when he really should have scored.

But it didn't take the visitors long to click back into gear, and for the majority of the second period it was one way traffic as they created chance after chance, going closest on the hour hitting the post.

The Bullets enjoyed a short spell of pressure with around twenty minutes left, and Ben Darby was at the heart of things.

First, he made the keeper work with a deflected effort, and then he saw a powerful shot charged down as he cut inside from then left.

And then substitute George West - making his debut - had a big chance on seventy-four minutes but he couldn't get the ball out of his feet.

And from that, the visitors went straight up the other end and killed the game off, Lee Gale capitalising on a defensive error to make it 3-0.

FC Isle of Man continued to create chances, while the Bullets ought to have been awarded a penalty two minutes from time when Hunaish Essa was tripped in the box.

All-in-all, a bad day at the office for the Bullets, who will be looking to bounce back in Tuesday night's South Cheshire derby with Sandbach United at Wood Park.

Starting XI: Joey Oldham, James Forrest, Nathan Barry, Danny Figarella, Craig Sigley, Jordan Stafford (C), Hunaish Essa, Sam Latham, Mamudo Dabo, Ben Darby, Ryan Malone

Substitutes: Reece Gaskell, Finlay Phillips, Jack Berman, George West, Matthew France

Man of the Match: Joey Oldham - some fine goalkeeping helped to keep the scoreline respectable

Attendance: 107