ac milanda afc

Milanda have still to see a point or a goal in their league campaign after 2 games. A bright start at Espieside was soon forgotten after going behind against the run of play and never recovering from that blow.

It had all started brightly for Milanda as they started much the better side. A Coyle shot from the left hand edge of the box brought out a good save from the keeper after 5 mins. A couple of mins later a Fawns throw in caused problems in the Columba box and they were happy to see the ball scrambled away for a corner. The resultant corner presented Grehan with a good chance but his shot was straight at the keeper. On 12 mins Milanda were denied what looked like a clear penalty. Colvin shrugged off the close attention of his marker to get his head to a Fawns corner. As the ball bounced up a Columba defender looked to play the ball with his arm but the ref decided it wasn't a penalty and waved play on. A real let off for Columba.

Grehan was desperately unlucky on 15 mins when he stepped inside two defenders and hit a left foot shot from just outside the box but with the keeper beaten the ball hit the underside of the bar before being cleared.

Columba had rarely threatened the Milanda goal but took the lead against the run of play on 25 mins. Preston in the Milanda goal was left exposed when a through ball was played to the edge of the box. As he tried to cut out the pass he was beaten by a fraction of a second to the ball and it left the Columba player with an open goal. He took an age to put the ball in the net and Scott Preston looked as if he might just get a goal saving tackle in but it wasn't to be.

The ref really would have been as well stopping the game there and then. The goal took the wind out the Milanda sails and they just couldn't re-produce the good play they had showed in the early part of the game. Fawns did manage to get a free kick on target but it didn't trouble the Columba keeper. The same keeper was fortunate just before half time when he came out to clear a pass from Fawns which was just bit long for Coyle but the keeper hit his clearance off the inrushing Coyle but it spun harmlessly away. Milanda did have a flurry of long throws before the break but it all ended with a McColgan shot that went high and wide.

Milanda came out in the 2nd half determined to get themselves back into the game but within 6 mins the game was all but over. On 49 mins Evans tried a back heel on the touchline that gave posession back to Columba on the edge of the Milanda area. A low hard cross was delivered into the box and Scott Preston could only watch helplessly as his attempted clearance ended up behind his brother in goal. 2 mins later and it was 3 -0. Milanda picked up a loose ball after a poor Columba free kick but McColgan's forward pass was equally as poor and the Columba keeper launched a long kick out which Colvin looked to have under control but he completely missed his intended header back to Preston and the Columba forward just needed to pick his spot which he duly did.

Milanda rallied slightly and a Grant free kick found Grehan in space at the back post but his ball along the 6 yard box was cleared for a corner before any Milanda player could get a touch and steer it into the net. Columba then should have been 4 in front after Preston loses posession on the edge of the box but instead we were treated to the miss of the season so far when the cut back left an open goal but the Columba forward dragged his attempt wide. Milanda's last real chance to get back into the game awere two attempts from Colvin both from Fawns corners. The first was cleared at the near post and the 2nd went over the bar.

The scoring was complete on 71 mins when Columba score direct from a corner.

Milanda once again left Espieside empty handed. It could have all been so different if Mlanda had been awarded what looked like a definite penalty but overall there can be little complaint about the result. It could have been many more in the 2nd half as Milanda fell out the game completely. Too many players were sucked into the physical side when we should be experienced enough to know just to laugh and walk away and this affected our game and discipline.

MOTM - Not many contenders this week. Kevin Grehan had a solid first 20 mins but like the rest of team never recovered after the goal. Mark McColgan had a very quiet first half but was much more involved in the 2nd half without really looking like getting Milanda back into the game and it is Mark who just gets this week' award but I doubt it's one he'll want to remember.