ac milanda afc

MILANDA came close to nicking a point from the reigning champions despite having to play most of the second half with 10 men. Thistle keeper Mark King made an instinctive save in the last minute to deny Martin Johnstone his second goal of the game and ensure his side kept all three points. Milanda perhaps hadn’t done enough to merit a point but the players certainly battled hard on a day when not a lot went right for the team. Scott Preston was ordered off for his second bookable offence - it was more like his fourth but who’s counting – and Milanda also lost Martin Coyle and Marc McColgan with injuries during the course of a tough and highly competitive second period.

It was perhaps a sign of things to come when kick-off had to be delayed for 15 minutes because referee James Carberry had gone to the wrong venue, Stepford rather than Lochend Park. Fortunately the grounds are close to each other and he was able to drive up stripped for action.

Having made an uncharacteristically sluggish start to the season, Baillieston seemed lacking in confidence in the early stages and caused few problems. They improved as the game progressed and had a number of shots at goal but Craig Fawns was rarely called into action.
David Jackson created an opening at the other end with a deep cross that found Coyle and his shot across the keeper just zipped past the far post. But it was Baillieston who took the lead after 36 minutes. The Milanda back line was caught square and a Baillieston forward crossed from the left for a team-mate to knock the ball home from close range.

It was a poor goal to lose. If the Milanda defenders were playing for an offside decision, something that is never a good idea when there are no linesmen, they got it badly wrong. If not, why was the player who crossed the ball not marked?
Seven minutes later it was 1-1 thanks to an excellent set-piece straight from the training ground (if anyone knows where this is, let me know). A good corner by Jackson was won in the air and nodded towards goal by Davie Crawford and Johnstone provided the finishing touch with his head from two yards. Baillieston tried to restore their advantage immediately with a shot that Fawns saved and Milanda made it to the break on level terms.

The home team were out-muscling Milanda in midfield and continuing to make chances and yet found themselves behind after 57 minutes. Gerry Evans won the ball on the right and sent over a magnificent cross to the back post where Mark Walker pounced to score with a diving header. Unfortunately, they lead lasted just two minutes. With Evans off the field receiving treatment for a leg injury, Baillieston scored a headed goal from a corner.

Evans returned but after 62 minutes, Preston was ordered off. Booked earlier for criticising the referee over Baillieston’s opener, he made a reckless, not to mention unnecessary, challenge on Baillieston substitute Colin Wilson near the halfway line and could easily have been given a straight red. Referee Carberry decided it was worth just a second yellow but the result was the same – Milanda were a man down. To make matters worse, Baillieston scored what proved to be the winner from the resulting free-kick. The marking was non-existent as Baillieston skipper Mark McManus strolled into the box and knocked the ball down for a team-mate to fire past Fawns.

To their credit, Milanda kept scrapping away and, as their opponents kept passing up chances, there was always the chance they could salvage something. Evans just missed with a cross-cum-shot and Ross Early fired over the bar following nice build-up play by Evans and Johnstone. But the best chance of the lot fell to Johnstone in the final minute. A flick by Walker left him with just the keeper to beat inside the box but King read his intentions and stuck out a foot to divert the shot and Thomas Addison fired the loose ball wide.

A disappointing day but at least Baillieston left the field knowing they had been in a game.

MOM: A close call this week because everyone worked hard but the outstanding performers were Davie Crawford in defence and Gerry Evans in midfield, both of whom helped set up a goal. In the final analysis, defender Crawford just edges out his rival for man of the match.