ac milanda afc

To say conditions were testing would be a bit of an understatement. A pitch that resembled a bog in places, blustery winds combined with occasional outbreaks of driving rain do not ideal football conditions make. That said Milanda coped admirably with what mother nature tried to throw at them on their way to a fine 3-0 win that keeps them clear at the top of Division A.

Islay started with the wind at their backs and were nearly gifted an early opener by Fawns who had a freash air swipe at a passback but luckily for him it wasn't travelling too fast and he was able to clear at the second attempt before any islay players could take advantage. As it turned out that was probably the most worrying moment for the Milanda goalie who had a very quiet morning.

Milanda's first chance fell to McColgan after a pass from Coyle gave him a shooting opportunity on the left hand side of the box but a sliding challenge took the sting out of his shot and keeper safely gathered. A beter chance presented itself on 7 mins. A Hardwick across the edge of the box was missed by the defence and found it's way through to Coyle but he hurried his shot and pulled it wide. Coyle was again presented with a chance when a Crawford pass found Grehan in space on the right hand side of the box. He left two defenders in his wake as he worked his way along the byeline before finding Coyle with his cutback but again Coyle pulled it wide. It just wasn't to be Coyle's day in front of goal when he again failed to find the target after a great cross from the left found Coyle in space at the back post but he got his jump all wrong and headed over the bar.

Scott then tried a shot from distance but surprisingly it didn't trouble the Islay keeper. Coyle then turned provider after breaking on the right and his pass found Grehan lurking on the edge of the box but again Milanda failed to find the target. Milanda finally got their reward for constant pressure when Grehan fed johnstone in the box and he cut inside and placed a right foot shot past the outstretched hand of the Islay keeper. A superb finish and the lead was well deserved.

It should have been two just before halftime. Milanda broke from the middle of the park Johnstone fed a pass through to Coyle who knocked it back to grehan on the dge of the box. Grehan returned the ball to coyle who had found room inside the box. As the keeper advanced to close down the angle Coyle saved him the bother by blasting it over the bar to round off a miserable first half with 4 attempts and all off target. It was another fine half of football from milanda and they coped with the conditions much better than Islay but should have had more than one goal to show for their efforts.

At half time Russell replaced the injured hardwick as Milanda now had the wind in their favour and they had killed the game off within the first 10 mins of the 2nd half. A long throw from preston was knocked on by Crawford and walker stole into header home from a couple of yards out off the underside of the bar. Two mins later and the points were safe. Russell fed Coyle on the left and he took the ball into the box and cut it back to Johnstone. He tried to manouvre a shooting chance but was quickly closed down but this left space for Evans and Johnstone slid the ball to his right and Evans thundered a shot in off the keeper into the roof of the net.

Islay then woke up Fawns when they launched a rare attack and fawns saved with his feet. Johnstone then broke on the counter attack but all his good work came to nothing when he put his efort past the post. Milanda then should ahve made it four when Johnstone got away inside the box and took it past the kkeepr who blatantly pulled him down. fawns trootted up from the back to take the kick but the Islay keeper made up for his rash challenge by saving Fawns's poor effort. The Islay keeper pulled off a fine save late on from Coyle as the game headed to its conclusion with the only other thing of note was McMillan's comedy fall on the touchline which saw him roll down the Stepford hill and get a good covering of mud for his trouble.

In the end a comfortbble win that keeps Milanda ahead of the chasing pack. Milanda now have completed half their games the first team to do so. At this stage points in the bank and although other teams have games in hand fixture congestion could maybe work in Mialnda's favour.

MOTM - Another hard week to choose from a host of contenders. Good performances all over the pitch from Johnstone, Evans and Preston but this week the award goes to Mark Walker who has performed well since being converted into a right back and has also collected a couple of goals along the way as well as putting in some solid performances.