Once again we have fallen victim to a lower league team in the Welsh Cup. We again missed a host of chances and paid the penalty with the home side scoring the winner with 8 minutes to go following some slack defending. There was an early chance for the Lido, Jordan Pike floated in a cross which evaded the outstretched boot of Liam Griffiths but found Ioan Evans at the back post and his shot was charged down by Matthews in the Dinas Powys goal.  Lido quickly created another chance when Griffiths flicked the ball out wide to Webber. His low cross found the feet of Ioan Evans but he can’t get the ball from underneath his feet and his eventual shot squirmed into the hands of Matthews. Out of nothing Dinas scored, a ball over the top and Boulaiche was in on goal. With his first shot he could only find the outstretched arms of Cirotto but the rebound fell back into his path and he calmly slotted it home. Lido nearly pulled it back straight away, Jordan Edwards beat his man to curl a low shot goalwards and it only missed the far post by inches. Lido had the lion’s share of the chances but a breakaway goal by Dinas Powys is the difference at the break. Lido needed a goal early in the second half and this they got on 48 minutes through Rory Healey who signed on loan from Briton Ferry before the transfer window closed. 4 minutes later Lido created another chance as  Edwards curled a long range effort towards goal forcing Matthews to tip it behind. On the hour Cai Owens went down with a head injury and after a lengthy break in play he tried to continue but was forced off with Matthew Andrews taking his place. With twenty minutes remaining the game had evened up and some of the intensity had been lost since the injury break. Lido’s early dominance of the half has been countered by some gritty and resolute play by Dinas Powys. The next goal could be the winner. Jordan Edwards took advantage of a ricochet to power through on goal, unleashing a shot from a tight angle forcing Matthews into a great save. The goal on 82 minutes when it came was as a result of some calamitous defending. The ball was played into the Lido area but for some reason no-one took control to head the ball clear and it fell to Shields who shot from the edge of the box giving Cirotto no chance. Dinas Powys played out the remaining minutes without any real scares while the Lido will rue some missed chances and lacklustre play.

This was an enjoyable game of football and a lot closer than the scoreline suggested. Dan James in the Trefelin goal made a good early save to deny the Lido taking the lead. Lido had all the early possession but were unable to make it count. Again, James was in action turning a Josh Webber shot behind for a corner. Eventually Trefelin got a foothold in the game and Stefan Rogers saved a free kick without too much difficulty. Trefelin almost took the lead on 27 minutes but Rogers firstly cleared a corner then from close range made the save. On 38 minutes Lido attacked down the left through Josh Webber. He cut inside but his curling shot went just wide. However, a minute later he repeated the move and this time he scored the opening goal to give the Lido a half time lead. Trefelin started the second half in determined fashion and one attack saw the ball cleared off the line. Lido went two up on 56 minutes when a right wing attack saw several players involved and the ball was worked across the box to Josh Webber who with time picked his spot in the top corner and curled in his second of the night giving James no chance. Lido pushed forward looking for a third but Jordan Edwards cross was headed behind for a corner. With 15 minutes to go Trefelin were unlucky when a shot hit the post and rebounded into play. They also had a series of free kicks around the area but were unable to take advantage of them. With 5 minutes to go Lido made sure of the points when from a free kick Jordan Edwards found space and glanced his header past James.

A difficult night for the Lido with Briton Ferry parading 4 former Lido players in their starting line up with 4 of the goals being scored by them. Lido with 2 players out suspended and several away gave a debut to new signing Liam Griffiths formerly of Goytre United.

There was an early chance for Ferry as Tyler Brock connected with a cross on the half volley and Cirotto did well to keep it out. It was only a short reprieve however as Mark Jones headed a corner in to put the Ferry one up. The early stages suggested a combative game with the Ferry leading through the early goal continuing to press on the flanks. Ferry again went close as Jones and Brock bore down on a cross to the near post but it somehow evaded both and wriggled clear. Ferry increased their lead on twenty minutes when Liam McCreesh rolled a ball through into the path of Mark Jones who calmly guided it home for his – and his team’s – second of the game.

Two minutes later another former Lido player, Jack Hurley unleashed a piledriver of a volley from distance which grazed the bar. It took 25 minutes for Lido to have their first shot on goal and it ended up being a tame effort from Ben Keen who chipped it well wide from distance. The Ferry scored their third on 32 minutes with yet another cross producing a goal. This time Liam McCreesh stole in between the central defence to head past Cirotto. It was now one way traffic on the Lido goal with the Lido struggling to make any impact. Tyler Brock turned his defender inside out in the box before trying to unleash a shot but he got his foot underneath the ball and it squirmed wide of the post

Lido created an early chance in the second half as Patrick Finneral stole beyond his defender but, with only the keeper to beat, he couldn’t keep his shot down. Ferry made it four on 53 minutes when Steve Davey’s weak volley took a wicked deflection to give Cirotto in goal no chance. Liam McCreesh made it five on 65 minutes when he got in the way of a Cirotto clearance and it rebounded into the net. Lido had now made a couple of substitutions and Josh Webber pressed forward. His initial shot was charged down but Pat Finneral picked up the rebound and drove it at goal for McFenton to save low down. On seventy minutes another chance for Ferry as Mark Jones connected with a cross but his header looped over the bar, they did make it six however on 75 minutes when Keiran Williams netted. Inside the last ten minutes and an acrobat effort from Cai Owens from distance as he tried a scissor kick went narrowly wide but Lido had the last word when Luke McDonald planted a cross onto the head of Liam Griffiths who nodded home to open his Lido account.

We went behind in the second minute for what proved to be the only goal of the game. It followed  a goalmouth scramble resulting in Osian Dillon scoring. Lido won a corner which was headed clear but there were glimpses of Lido getting into the game. Good work from Jordan Edwards down the right who crossed and set up Ioan Evans but he could only fire wide. Cai Owens then headed a free kick over the bar before Ammanford responded with a good run by Leon Britton who weaved his way past several would be tacklers but instead of shooting he passed the ball to the left and the incoming cross was too long. Lido then attacked down their left with a deep cross which was cleared but only to a Lido player with another cross being headed over by Jordan Edwards. Lido’s attack was working well but so was the Ammanford defence. Ammanford then took a quick free kick and won a second on the edge of the area but Lee Trundle’s effort went over the bar. In a repeat Ammanford again won a free kick on the edge of the area but this was cleared by the Lido who then quickly attacked with Ben Kenn shooting at the keeper from just outside the area The ball was then played wide to Jay Thomas who with a smart turn on the edge of the box got his shot away and it was parried by the Ammanford keeper. Referee Ben Williams then booked Cai Owens for a foul on the edge of the area with the free kick again ending up over the bar. Worse was to follow for the Lido when Lewis Butler was booked for another edge of the area foul. This time the free kick hit the wall and was cleared. Jordan Edwards then made ground down the right and his cross just eluded Ioan Evans in the centre. A spell of sustained pressure from the Lido as they continued to search for the equaliser with a Ioan Evans cross met by Jordan Edwards but his shot was blocked and cleared before the ball went out for an Ammanford goal kick.

Lido started the second half on the attack but Ioan Evans could only shoot wide. Lido took a quick free kick but lost the ball, Ammanford attacked down their right but Connor Harris did well to make a clean tackle in the area and clear the ball. Jay Thomas went close for the Lido who continued to press for the equaliser. The game quickly changed with Ammanford piling on the pressure with a couple of corners but Lido defended them well. On 67 minutes Ioan Evans leapt at the back post and the Ammanford keeper made a great point blank save. With Lido pressing looking for the equaliser once again the ref made a big decision in sending Jordan Edwards off for a second yellow for hand ball. With 10 minutes remaining Patrick Finneral was felled in the penalty area but Jay Thomas signalled which way the ball was going and the Ammanford  keeper made an easy save diving to his right. Then the ball appeared to be cleared of the line as the 10 men pushed forward. Disappointingly Jackson Hall was then sent off with minutes to go for a reckless challenge on an Ammanford player. Finally, Cai Owens headed a corner over the bar from point blank range. Even with 9 men Lido pushed forward in search of the equaliser but sadly it wasn’t forthcoming

A disappointing defeat at Taffs Well where we concede two similar goals. Taffs had an early chance when the ball was played cross the face of our goal but no attacking player was on hand to turn it in. We responded well and won a corner but it was too close to the keeper and he gathered cleanly. On 10 minutes following a period of home pressure Louie Cirotto held a long range shot. He was again in action 2 minutes later turning a shot behind for a corner. Taffs continued to press forward and Cirotto produced a series of fine saves to keep the scores level. Our best attack of the early stages saw a fine ball played wide to Ioan Evans who cut inside but his low cross was cut out and cleared. On 25 minutes the home keeper dropped a corner under pressure but the home defence managed to clear the ball. We went behind on 27 minutes, Taffs were awarded a free kick wide on the left and a long ball to the far post wasn’t dealt with and a home player headed in at the far post. We struggled to come to terms with this but played out the remainder of the half with too much danger.

Taffs won a free kick in the early minutes of the second half but from 20 yards fired the kick over the bar. We had a series of free  kicks but each one was over hit and went through to the keeper. On the hour the ball was played forward for Jordan Edwards wide left. He made ground but had no support, he tried a shot from outside the area but it went harmlessly wide. We made a couple of substitutions but it was the home side who looked more likely to score and in fact two long range shots both hit the crossbar. Then on 79 minutes we were level, a poor ball out of defence went straight to Connor Harris. He played the ball forward for Jordan Edwards to coolly slot the ball past the keeper. We now looked the more likely to go on and win the game with Edwards having another chance in a similar position to his goal but the keeper came out and saved his shot. That turned out to be a big moment in the game as two minutes later (84) a low right wing cross was missed by everyone and turned in at the far post and we again left Taffs Well pointless

The Reserves won 3-2 at Briton Ferry. Patrick Finneral opened the scoring just before half time but two defensive errors early in the second half saw us trail. Jordan Edwards equalised when his shot went in off a defender after an hour and Harry Davies headed in from a corner after 67 minutes. Both sides created chances but neither were able to finish them off.

Megan Jones netted a hat trick with Holly Vowles and Natalie Williams also on target in a 5-2 win over Bridgend Street at the Marstons Stadium this afternoon. This was their first win since winning promotion last season.