Three points for the reserves

Despite the scoreline this was a close game until Lido scored two late goals to ensure the three points. During the course of the game Lido missed a glut of chances which could have cost them in the second half when they played against a strong wind.

As expected, Lido had the early pressure but Village stood firm until their keeper fumbled a free kick and Michael McCalmon reacted quickest to score in the sixteenth minute for his fourth goal of the season. Five minutes later Lido doubled the lead, they attacked down the right and a low cross in saw Luke McDonald score from close range for his sixth goal.  The expected rush of goals didn’t come however as Village took the game to the Lido winning a corner which they took short and worked an opening but shot wide. Encouraged by this they again pushed forward and Gareth Couch was called into action holding a shot. On the half hour another attack saw Couch with an easy save. Then playing through midfield a misplaced pass set up the Village but the shot was at Couch and beaten away. Just before the interval Lido again attacked down the right but Liam Griffiths put his shot over the bar.

Village in the second half had the elements at their backs and immediately attacked shooting over the bar in the first 30 seconds of the half. Lido responded with an attack of their own with Michael McCalmon getting into the box but the keeper narrowed the angle and blocked his shot with his legs. After fifty minutes Cameron Harris played the ball in for Liam Griffiths but again, he shot wide from a good position. On fifty seven minutes Connor Harris played the ball forward for Cameron Harris who crossed the ball for Taylor Evans just outside the area. He teed up a shot which beat the keeper but curled just wide of the post. Lido continued to attack and the keeper held shots from Samm Harrison and Connor Harris as Lido looked for the third goal to take the game away from Village. Village pulled a goal back in the seventy fifth minute following a free kick just outside the area. Nathan Beaniamous with a left footed shot beat Couch to set up an interesting final quarter of an hour. Village pushed forward looking for an equaliser and won a corner which Lido cleared and broke down the right. Connor Harris crossed the ball for Cai Owens to head in from six yards to all but settle the result. Village didn’t give up however and continued to win corners and free kicks but in the final minute Cameron Harris again drove forward and from a dozen yards drilled a shot past the keeper for his first goal of the season. Three points and a good contest in windy conditions.