POSTAL ALC 2 - AC MILL INN 6 - DIV 1 NORTH - WEBSTER PARK - 23rd AUG 23

TEAM - 1. S.Walker 2. K.Dowbekin 3. A.Baxter 4. L.Giulianotti 5. B.Patterson 6. M.Hunter 7. A.Clark 8. J.Steele 9. L.Melia 10. N.Willey 11. B.Webster 12. S.Cotovici 14. S.Carter 15. M.Maciver 15. S.Stuart 16. G.Cormack

OPPOSITION MOTM – Alex Clark

Four excellent results for Postal, preceded the last of the mid-week games as Postal welcomed AC Mill Inn to Webster Park on a sunny Wednesday night.

After a heavy defeat in their first game, this young Mill Inn side have been flying so a good game was anticipated.

After the first ten minutes it became clear that the rumours of AC Mill Inn being a really good young team were true. Very easy on the eye, moved the ball about confidently and competed physically (admittedly they were rarely asked to compete physically in this particular game).

Postal were standing off far too much, and tackles, or first contact, was few and far between from the home side.

Mill Inn scored the first after only 8 minutes. Forward was allowed to win the ball far too easily on the Postal left. He went through, played it into another forward unchallenged who slipped it into the keeper’s right hand corner. 0-1.

On 20 minutes, Postal nearly equalised against the run of play when Webster hit the bar after a long free kick broke out to the edge of the Mill Inn box and he slammed his shot off the woodwork from 18 yards.

On 22 minutes Mill Inn doubled their lead. A ball over the top of Baxter on the Postal left, Postal never matched the runners into the box and the subsequent ball across the face was knocked home. Poor poor defending all round. 0-2.

Postal should have had enough experience to steady the ship, but instead lost all concentration at this point.

This time a long ball into the heart of the Postal defence. Patterson let it bounce instead of heading away. Ball went right over his head, boy ran through on goal and deposited it into the back of the net. Again, school boy stuff. 0-3.

A minute later (25 minutes gone) and Patterson got himself sent off. Another ball in behind the incredibly square Postal defence found Patterson out-run to the ball. He bundled the striker down, just outside the box, and was sent off. Luckily for Postal the away side never scored from the resultant free kick, although at this point they looked like they’d score every time they went up the park.

HALF TIME – POSTAL ALC 0 – AC MILL INN 3

Postal started the second half much more competitively.

They pulled one back 5 mins into the half when a free kick, deep into the away box was nodded down by Melia. After a bit of a goal line stramash Hunter got the final touch to knock home and give Postal a bit of hope. 1-3.

The hope was short lived though, as Postal gave away a shockingly slack goal soon after. Postal were actually on the attack when the play was turned over and AC countered. Ball was allowed into the Postal 6 yard area. With the ball looking as if it would land on Giulianotti’s head on the goal line, he somehow missed the header to clear. The AC forward didn’t miss and scored the decisive fourth. 1-4.

The 5th came from another corner into the box which Postal didn’t clear (actually passing the ball into the oppositions feet) 1-5.

Last one for AC came when Giulianotti gave the ball away near his own goal. 1-6.

Postal got a second consolation goal on the half hour mark when Melia sent a good free kick low into the keepers bottom left. 2-6.

Mill In nearly scored a 7th when they headed the ball into the net after hitting the bar but they striker was deemed offside. Ref was maybe taking pity on us at this point.

Overall Mill Inn looked a very decent side, but then again, every side will look decent if you give them enough room and space to play. Doesn’t help with only ten men, but we shouldn’t be losing 6 goals to any side below the top Premier sides at home.