ac milanda afc

A TRIP to Espieside to play AFC Columba would not be high on Milanda's wish list as a way of officially starting the season and once again it proved an unhappy hunting ground.

Milanda got off to a bad start, losing an early goal goal while trying to play offside, and the defending was suspect throughout the 90 minutes. Martin Bradburn scored his first goal for the team to make it 1-1, producing a cool finish inside the box after good inter-play between Ross Early and Martin Coyle on the right. But the Coatbridge boys scored again to turn around 2-1 ahead, Craig Fawns stopping one shot but being powerless to keep out the follow-up.

Milanda certainly weren't out of it at any stage and were back level again when a Mark Russell cross was turned into his own net by one of the home defenders. But Milanda were caught out by another quick counter-attack to go 3-2 down and it was 4-2 from the penalty spot after Fawns had been forced to pull down a Columba forward as he was about to score.

Gerry Evans cut the deficit to 4-3 with a low shot that sneaked in at the corner of the net but, despite a late push, Milanda couldn't snatch an equaliser.

MOTM: Mark Russell gets the nod for a power of work on the left of midfield. He tried to claim Milanda's second goal but the Dubious Goals Committee, chaired by Martin Coyle, has ruled it must go down as an og because the ball was travelling across the box and not heading for the net when the Columba defender intervened.