Milanda kicked off the competitive action for the season with an emphatic victory over Deanpark at Netherpollok. The game was switched to one of Milanda's regular haunts because Deanpark couldn't get a pitch in the Paisley area and it soon became clear they had also struggled to find players as they could only muster a squad of 10. Milanda, too, had personnel problems, especially at the back with so many defenders crocked, but never looked in any danger of taking anything less than three points in this William Drummond Trophy sectional tie.

Wearing the new change kit of Barcelona colours, they took just 14 minutes to get ahead when Ross Early burst through from midfield to shoot past the Deanpark keeper. The second goal came in the 25th minute. A throw by Mark Walker was laid back by Early to Craig Fawns and he blasted an excellent shot into the net. A cool finish by Martin Johnstone made it 3-0 after 33 minutes but nine minutes later Deanpark reduced the deficit with an own goal by Thomas Addison, the ball breaking off his leg after Stephen Walker had done well to parry a shot However, Adda made up for that with a long searching ball that found midfielder Walker and he calmly lobbed it first time over the keeper for goal No.4.

The goals were coming thick and fast and three minutes into the second period Martin Coyle ran on to an Early pass and slammed the ball low into the net to make it 5-1. As has happened before, everyone was pushing forward trying to get goals and that allowed Deanpark to threaten on the break. A good break down their left four minutes later saw the ball crossed into the box where one of Deanpark's strikers had a simple tap-in. But Early set up Johnstone to head Milanda into a 6-2 lead shortly after that with a pinpoint cross. Milanda didn't have long to wait for their seventh.

A corner by sunstitute Paul Duncan found the head of Coyle and although his effort didn't find the net Early was on hand to nod home the loose ball. Coyle put a penalty kick wide after Paul Murray had been brought down in the box and then Walker had a goal disallowed when the referee mistakenly thought his shot had gone into the side netting rather than the goal. Walker was not to be denied, though, and a first-time shot made it 8-2 to Milanda. Deanpark pulled another one back but Walker made it 9-3 from a Johnstone cutback. The Paisley team finished off the scoring from the penalty spot after hat-trick hero Walker had bundled over one of their forwards.

So, a 9-4 win that could have been 11-4 if the penalty had gone in and Walker had been given the other goal he scored. Not a bad day's work. The only mystery – how come the scourge of Deanpark last season, Gerry Evans, didn't get on the scoresheet? He must have been feeling sorry for them.

MOM: Ross Early just pips Mark Walker but both showed excellent energy and contributed with goals and assists.