AC Milanda 5 Blleahouston 3 (HT 3-1)

MILANDA picked up another three league points with a victory that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests. Three goals ahead inside the first half-hour, the players took their collectrive foot off the gas and allowed the opposition to see a glimmer of hope at 3-2.
However, there never looked any real danger of Bellahouston taking anything from the game.

Having won 6-1 against the same team in the Vince McGlinchey Trophy semi-final, Milanda went looking for goals from the word go. The first arrived after 17 minutes when a long throw by John Griffin was headed against the bar by Scott Preston and Martin Coyle reacted quickest to knock in the loose ball. Four minutes later it was 2-0. A quick throw in by Coyle was laid back to him by Williamson as Coyle made for the byeline. His low cross was partially deflected but landed perfectly for Early knock home. Goal; No.3 arrived in the 29th minute. A Griffin throw was knocked on by Preston and when Mark Reid's shot came back off the bar Early pounced to knock in the rebound.

So far so good but six minutes from the break Milanda became sloppy and a ball into the box that should have been dealt with by the back four or keeper was headed home, giving Bellahouston a lift for the second half.

They got another after 52 minutes when a simple ball through the middle found the central defenders posted missing and Preston had to pull back the Bellahouston striker. Milanda tried to argue the offence was outside the box, although that situation was complicated because the pitch had double markings at that end. However, referee George Dunbar was adamant it was a spot-kick and Fawns was beaten for a second time.

Thankfully, this setback awakened Milanda from their slumber and they were soon back buzzing around the Bellahouston goal. Coyle hit the post with a thumping shot after good build-up play involving Reid and substitute Martin Johnstone. But in 69 minutes Milanda scored the goal that gave them a little more breathing space. A Griffin throw was well won in the air by Johnstone and his knock-down was hammered into the net on the volley by Coyle.

Johnstone managed to keep up Milanda's assault on the woodwork by hitting the bar while on the ground, Early hit a post from a cross by Preston and then the keeper did brilliantly to keep out a Reid header from Johnstone's delivery. Milanda made it 5-2 when the Bellahouston defence failed to deal with a free-kick from keeper Fawns and Johnstone fired in the loose ball. Bellahouston pulled another goal back near the end to complete the scoring in an entertaining match.

MOTM: Early and Coyle impressed with two goals apiece, Griffin was involved in a lot of the supply work and Reid worked hard up front but the award this week goes to Scott Grant who should have been ring rusty but didn't look it as he strolled through the match in defence.