ac milanda afc

Pursuers 2 AC Milanda 3(HT (0-0)

Only a couple of weeks since these teams met when Milanda comfortably won 4-0. It wasn't going to be as easy this time round and a blustery wind didn't make things any easier.

Pursuers had the slight benefit of the wind in the first half but more often than not it just blew the ball out of the park and the teams on the next pitch kicked the ball as much as they did on our park.

First real chance of the game fell to Pursuers. A break down the right ended with a dangerous cross to the back post but a great saving header from P Johnstone prevented a certain goal.

Milanda started to get a foot in the game and a shot from Grant was palmed away by the Pursuers keeper and he was glad to see no Milanda players following up. Some great balls were being played into the Pursuers box but an assortment of Milanda players just couldn't get on the end of them. One ball across the 6 yard line eluded about 3 Milanda players when it only needed a touch. Then Early got in the way of a Scott shot in the 6 yard box. Scott should then have done better when another dangerous ball fell to him unmarked in the box but his control let him down and the chance was lost.

Surprisingly the half finished goalless.

The lack of first half goals was soon a distant memory as Pursuers took the lead early in the 2nd. A ball down the left caught out the defence and the forward had time to pick his spot as his shot went across Walker into the right hand corner.

Milanda's only took a few mins to respond when there was a bit of pinball in the Pursuers penalty area after a corner was floated in and Early was on hand to force the ball over the line via the bar. Only a couple of mins later Milanda were in front after M. Johnstone finished off a Milanda move.

It looked as if Milanda would then go onto make the game safe but Pursuers drew level once again when Milanda failed to clear a ball in the box and a Pursuers toe got a touch and found the net. It was then end to end stuff as both teams searched for victory. Two strong penalty claims were waved away. One in each box. Coyle was involved in the Milanda one but accepted the referee's decision with good grace and without any argument.

The game looked to be heading for a draw but Milanda made one final push and forced the first of 3 corners in the final mins. Murray floated in the first but it was headed away and gave M.Johnstone a chance to swing one in from the right. Williamson managed to lose his marker and powered in a header from the front post towards goal only to see the defender on the line get his knee in the way and it was cleared out for another corner. Again Johnstone floated it in but this time it was much deeper and Crawford rose at the back post and this time the defenders on the line could do nothing to stop the ball hitting the net. It was almost the last action of the game and Milanda were maybe a little fortunate to come away with all 3 points.

Man of the match – Difficult conditions with such a strong wind but Preston in the Milanda defence was solid and let very little by and as well as being joint leader in the prediction comp also gets this week's MOTM award.