![Nathan Avery [right] is a key player for Milton. Picture Tam Lee](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/z8hBhxAZcc6GAanbqacDHK/230aa825-8b38-4a1e-aa61-3905939d2153.jpg/r0_17_1536_884_w576_h298_fmax.webp "Nathan Avery [right] is a key player for Milton. Picture Tam Lee")
The Milton Ulladulla Panthers' interesting start to the 2024 Shoalhaven Football Association's first grade competition continued on the weekend
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The Panthers, in the grand final replay against Illaroo at Lighthouse Oval on Saturday, recorded a 2-all draw.
Two draws in a row means the Panthers have not won a game or lost a game this season.
The Panthers, like last week against St Georges Basin, held a comfortable lead against Illaroo but could not hold onto win.
Two goals from Brent Anderson meant that the home-side went into the break with a 2-nil lead.
Coach Nick Palagyi is not worried about being held to another draw.
"I'm not worried at all. There were some extenuating circumstances which played a key role in the draw, but we got plenty of things right on Saturday," he said.
"We played well for the most part, and as anticipated Illaroo were a really strong, physical side.
"We needed to adapt our plans a number of times, forced into changes due to a range of unwanted injuries, but the players coped well with these unplanned substitutions and showed they're really understanding and becoming comfortable with the changes we've implemented to our playing system this season."
The Panthers' mentor is happy with the way his side is progressing.
"We still have huge potential for more improvement, but there were clear steps taken after last week which continue to move us in the right direction," he said.
The Panthers, in an injury blow, lost a key striker 10 minutes into the game.
The players broke his collarbone following a heavy but fair challenge which stopped him as he tried to carry through on goal.
"It wasn't the start we wanted but the players adapted to the necessary reshuffle well and we got on with the job at hand," the coach said,
Anderson opened the scoring for Milton just before the half hour mark, after Elijah Dabelstein dissected the Illaroo defence with a great little through ball.
Anderson finished clinically across the goalkeeper with his right foot.
"He [Anderson] then created his second himself just before half time, after winning a free kick on the top of the box, and then sending a left foot drive across the keeper and into the far corner. "He (Anderson) was huge for us, and played really well all day," the Milton coach said.
The second half saw more unwanted disruptions with a torn groin and hyper extended knee forcing changes in defence and midfield on top of the earlier attacking substitution.
The second half seesawed more than the first but Milton continued to create the better chances.
Illaroo were handed a gift "from one of the most unfortunate and bizarre own goals" you'll ever see.
Some 25 minutes into the half a Milton defender was intercepting a through ball and attempting to clear to the far side of the field.
He tripped as he struck the ball and instead of the ball going across field it sliced, got caught in the wind and was carried back 30m towards the Panthers' own goal where it dropped perfectly just below the cross bar and into the back of the net.
With 10 minutes left to play Milton failed to clear their lines effectively several times following a corner, and the ball eventually fell to Hayden Strand who drove a low shot through traffic and just inside the post to tie things up in the scoreboard.
