ac milanda afc

It was a rather depleted and understrength Milanda that took to the field. The days of 19 turning up are but a distant memory due to injury, work commitments and suspensions. Chris Preston made his first appearance of the season and Scott Grant started only his 2nd league game. Both teams were desperate for the points for different reasons. Milanda still with an outside chance of the title and although that seems unlikely they as high a finish as possible is the target. At the other end of the table Bellahouston find themselves in a relegation fight so points were needed by both teams.

Bellahouston made the better start and with the game barely 5 mins old they took the lead. A corner from the right is dropped in at the front post which Preston punches straight back to the player who took the corner who hits another near post cross this time Preston can only palm it onto the bar and the rebound gives a Bellahoston player a free header from 4 yards.

Milanda nearly hit back straightaway when an O'Neill cross to the back post is left by the Bellahoston defence after a shout from their keeper who ends up scrambling to turn the ball round the post for a corner after misjusdging the cross.

Coyle then leaves his marker for dead in the middle off the park after a quick turn and lays the ball off to Johnstone who wins Milanda a corner. From the corner Milanda look to have equalised when O'Neill powers a header past the keeper but a defender appears to head off the line.

After this period of sustained pressure Milanda manage to find themselves 2 goals behind. Another corner this time to the back post finds a Bellahouston player unmarked after Coyle and Russell get in each others way and he steers his header past Preston.

Milanda then enter another period of pressure. First Evans crosses from the right but it is fractionally too high for Johnstone, then O'Neill has a shot from outside the box that isn't too far away, closely followed by a Russell cross that is begging for a taker but no one accepts. Russell then has another effort blocked by the keeper after a brilliant Coyle turn that completely baffles defender (and probably Coyle).

Then it's O'Neills turn again and he has a shot blocked and the spins takes it into Evans path but he can't find the net and the keeper saves. Milanda eventually make the breakthrough their pressure deserves and have a huge slice of luck in the process. Coyle controls an Evans cross into the box on his chest and gets on the goalside of the defender who mamnages to get a toe to the ball but all this does is send the ball into the top corner of the net with the keeper helpless. A cracking finish. Milanda nearly equalise just before half time when a Grehan corner is met by O'Neill but Addison is unable to get out of the way of the goal bound header and when the loose ball is knocked back towards goal Addison manages to header it over from 5 yards.

That is the last action of a busy first half.

The second half is much tamer and it's not until the 52nd min before thing liven up again. A swift Milanda counter attack sees Russell play in Coyle who returns the pass to Russell who has continued his run into the box. The keeper saves his first shot then the rebound comes back off the post.

With 25 mins to go McMillan takes off Addsion and pushes Williamson on to make 3 up front as Milanda search for the equaliser. The Bellahoston defence prove stubborn as Milanda throw everything at them. The pressure does finally get its reward when a trademark Johnstone run finishes with a low cross into the 6 yard box. Williamson is lurking a couple of yards out and directs the ball into an empty net to give Milanda a deserved equaliser.

Both teams search for a winner as both need the points for different reasons. Preston who had a reasonably quiet 2nd half had to be quick to turn away a shot at his near post. At the other end Milanda keep probing just can't make the vital breakthough and both teams have to settle for a draw.

Slack defending put Milanda on the back foot but it was a great effort to get back on level terms and on another day some of those other chances would have seen Milanda win this game quite easily. Another 2 points dropped though.

MOTM - He was Milanda's most dangerous attacker in the first half and had 2 goalbound headers cleared. Was solid in defence so this week's MOTm goes to Dave O'Neill and his new boots. Special mentions to Scott Grant who depsite a a;ck of games was comfortable in defence and Kevin Grehan who put in a great shift as he helped Milanda get back into the game. good effort all round though.