ac milanda afc

MILANDA made it through to the quarter-finals of the GDSML Cup with a superb performance against a very good student side. Despite the fact they hadn't played for six weeks, all of the Milanda players looked in good shape and matched their younger opponents in every department. The loss of a goal inside two minutes might have caused heads to go down after a poor run of results but the opposite was the case. Going 1-0 down seemd to galvanise the team and they fought hard to ensure victory.Second Division Caledonian must have fancied their chances against the team propping up the division above, especially after scoring that early goal.

Milanda gave away possession from kick-off, got the ball back and then lost it again, allowing the home team to score from a fairly basic through ball. Craig Fawns stopped the initial shot but the rebound was bundled into the net. Gradually Milanda began to assert some authority and midway through the half they were back on level terms. A long kick-out by Fawns was misheaded by one of the University centre-backs and Martin Johnstone pounced to run in on goal and knock the ball calmly past the keeper.

You often need a lucky break to win a cup-tie and Milanda got it when the Caledonian keeper miskicked a clearance against Andy Scott and the ball bounced into the net. The Milanda midfielder doesn't score too many goals but resisted the temptation to take off his top and run to the fans.

A 2-1 scoreline is never comfortable and Milanda spoke at half-time of the importance of getting another goal to provide some breathing space. They didn't have to wait long for it to arrive. Three minutes after the restart, Brain Traynor curled a good corner kick to the back post where Lee Colvin was waiting to power home a header.

The students never stopped going forward in an attempt to get back into the game but they were up against a solid rearguard. One shot did get through them after a moment of hesitancy between two defenders but Fawns did brilliantly to dive to his right and touch the ball round the post.

Milanda actually made better chances on the counter-attack and Johnstone, skipper Martin Coyle and substitute John Gibson had chances that could have made the tie absolutely safe.

Just before the end, Milanda stalwart Scott Grant, recently turned 50, joined the action and so became only the third player in the club's history to play for the team after surviving five decades on the planet, the others being current manager Alan McMillan and Graeme Hyslop. Congratulations to Scott and everyone else for a job well done.

MOTM: The award could go to just about any of the 14 who made it on to the pitch because there wasn't a failure. Kevin Grehan was back to something like his best in midfield, as was Paul Ross at right-back, and Martin Johnstone and Martin Coyle kept the students' defence busy throughout but especially impressive was centre-half Lee Colvin who gave nothing away at the back and chipped in with a vital goal so he gets the accolade this week.