ac milanda afc

MILANDA produced their best performance to date in the league and can count themselves unfortunate to have ended up with no points. After opening with two defeats and no goals, it looked as if the team's luck was about to change as they led 1-0 and then came back from 2-1 down to level matters. However, a late goal had Vale United back in the driving seat and they managed to cling on for victory.

Just as in the defeat at Columba, Milanda were the better team in the opening stages and were unlucky not to go ahead with shots by Martin Coyle and Martin Johnstone that went narrowly wide and hit a post. John Gibson also fired off target following a run on the right by Paul Ross before Milanda finally found the net in the 18th minute. Brian Traynor was the provider following a good surge from midfield. He slipped the ball wide on the left to Coyle and he cut inside before hammering a wonderful right-foot shot past the helpless keeper.

Milanda suffered a blow when Gibson had to be replaced by Gerry Evans after taking en albow in the face that left the youngster with a black eye and blood streaming from his nose. Vale equalised in the 25th minute with a header from a corner and showed their aerial prowess again 12 minutes later in taking a 2-1 lead with another header from a left-wing cross. Just before the break Johnstone created an excellent opportunity with a run on the left but neither Evans nor Coyle could force the ball home.

Chris Preston made a good save early in the second period to prevent Vale adding to their advantage but after that scare Milanda had another spell of domination. Evans had a header blocked at the far post from a Johnstone cross and Johnstone was again the supplier for a shot by Coyle that went wide. Scott Preston was also out of luck with a header from Traynor's corner before Milanda cashed in on a mistake by the Vale keeper to square the match in the 67th minute.
Coyle's cross looked an easy catch for the No.1 but he dropped the ball and Johnstone stooped to head home from close range.

Milanda were unlucky not to go ahead when Ross had a shot blocked and Traynor miskicked in his attempt to fire in the loose ball. Vale were always a threat on the break and proved it seven minutes from time with a counter-attack down the right. Preston could only palm out the cross and one of the Vale forwards slammed the loose ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Jim Binnie had to go off after a bad challenge and Dave O'Neill also made way as Milanda threw on Marc McColgan and Paul Malone in an attempt to salvage something from the match. With a four-man forward line at this stage, the hope was something might fall for the team in the box but sadly it didn’t happen.

MOTM: Kevin Grehan and Brian Taylor never stopped working for the team in midfield and the same can be said of Martin Coyle and Martin Johnstone up front. Any of those four would be a worthy winner of the Man of the Match accolade but Coyle just nicks it for a goal and an assist.