DAVID Kelly popped up with a dramatic last-gasp winner to give Drumaness three precious points in their bid to move away from the Division 1A relegation dogfight.
The sides were locked at 1-1 going into the 90th minute when young Rory Mason fired a low cross from the left into the penalty box. Kelly, who had his back to goal, killed the cross with his first touch, swivelled and drilled an unerring winner past the helpless Jon Munn.
Kelly’s goal was no more than the Mills deserved against bottom-placed Villa, who were relegated from the Premier Section at the end of last season and who are now in free fall.
The Mills started on the front foot and with just two minutes gone Jon Munn, a regular over the past few seasons on the Amateur League’s representative team, saved smartly at his near post from Gavin McEvoy.
Drumaness were building up a nice head of steam when McEvoy struck gold.
With 10 minutes gone Paul Walsh fired a cross from the right into the box and McEvoy, who was completely unmarked, headed in a well worked opener.
Villa tried to retaliate immediately, but all they could muster was a shot from Glen Culbert that presented no problem to goalkeeper Ryan Campbell.
At the other end, McEvoy went perilously close to making it 2-0 when he got in another header from a Gary McCormick free, but his effort went wide of the target.
A minute later Jon Munn batted away a cross from Shane Gorman and with 22 minutes gone McEvoy shot wide after enterprising play from Sean McQuoid (inset).
Unfortunately, that was the end of the goalmouth action in the first half as a dour midfield battle ensued with referee Kenny Jess having to issue a few yellow cards in a bid to calm things down.
The visitors almost caught Drumaness cold after the break when they mounted a lightning counterattack after only two minutes, but David Clarke was well placed to avert the danger in the box.
Both sides struggled to put anything meaningful together after this, but the Mills were living dangerously as Abbey Villa believed that they could get something from the game.
The hard going was only brightened up by a nifty piece of foot work from McEvoy in the 64th that wouldn’t have looked out of place in River Dance, but all the choreography led to nothing when he shot narrowly wide.
Abbey Villa’s Norman Mitchell then missed an absolute sitter from close in and at the other end Munn save brilliantly from Paul Walsh.
Villa hadn’t long to wait for the equaliser and it came in the 83rd minute when Anton McCormick hooked the ball over Campbell from the edge of the penalty area after the Mills failed to clear their lines.
It was all or noting for the Mills now and right on cue, Kelly became the hero when he drilled in a minter of a winner.
Drumaness Mills: R. Campbell, G. McCormick, J. Ewing, D. Clarke, B. Ward, P. Walsh, C. McVarnock, S. McQuoid, N. Walsh, G. McEvoy, S. Gorman. Subs: D. Kelly, R. Mason, J. Smith-Small.
Drumaness Mills 2
Abbey Villa 1
AMATEUR LEAGUE DIVISION 1A