A goal in each half saw us successfully claim the three points at Undy Athletic. Lido played with a breeze at their backs in the first half and we tended to overhit a number of passes which ran out for goal kicks. Also, a number of last ditch tackles and interceptions kept the score sheet blank until we finally broke through with an attack down the left with the ball being crossed to the unmarked Sean Hanbury who had all the time in the world to pick his spot to put us ahead. We were generally the better side but we were unable to find another breakthrough before the interval. Undy found the same problem after the break with a number of promising attacks being thwarted by overhit passes. On 50 minutes Undy were dealt a blow when defender P Clayton was sent off for two yellow cards. Worse was to follow on 59 minutes when another defender C Parry was shown a second yellow leaving Undy with 9 players. Liam Griffiths then added a second for Lido on 63 minutes when a Sean Hanbury pass to the far post found Liam in space. Despite our numerical advantage we weren’t able to add to our score, often taking the wrong option. Undy had their moments but failed miserably in front of goal, missing several gilt edged chances. To their credit they never gave up but Lido saw out the game to earn 3 valuable points in the fight to stay up in Cymru South.
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Carlos equalises deep into added time
Carlos Indjai equalised in the seventh minute of added on time to secure a vital point. We were behind to a first half penalty given when the ball was driven at Cai Owens and he was adjudged to have handled the ball. Modern rules perhaps but how is he supposed to react quickly enough to get his hands out of the firing line?
With Aaron Jones suspended Paul Holmes deputised in goal for his first game of the season and he can be pleased with his performance. However, he almost gifted Llanelli the lead in the first minute with a poor kick out which went straight to a Llanelli player whose shot went inches wide. Llanelli dominated the early stages helped by some poor distribution by several Lido players. Finally, after 12 minutes Lido created a half chance when Sean Hanbury shot from distance and it landed on the roof of the net. Lido were putting Llanelli under pressure from Cai Owens long throws, Carlos Indjai flicked on one to the far post but Harry Davies was unable to turn the ball in. On the half hour Llanelli went ahead vis the penalty, Paul Holmes guessed correctly and almost made the save, spurred on by this Llanelli surged forward and Paul Holmes made a fine save turning the ball away for a corner. Another Cai Owens throw caused problems for the Llanelli defence but this time there was no one on the far post to convert the chance. Lido replaced Ben Keen with Josh Webber at half time, Sean Hanbury was unlucky when he chipped the keeper but the ball drifted just wide. On 57 minutes he was again unlucky when his goalbound header from a corner was headed off the line. A minute later Carlos Indjai fired in a shot which the Llanelli keeper did well to hold. Lido continued to dominate the game but just couldn’t find an equaliser, A Cai Owens cross was headed goalwards by Carlos Indjai but it could only find the side netting. Into the last 10 minutes and Josh Webber fired just wide having been played in by Carlos Indjai. After all that pressure Llanelli broke and should have made it 2-0, Paul Holmes did well to parry a shot which rebounded for a Llanelli player who with a gaping goal could only scoop the ball over the bar. It was a costly miss as Lido went back down into the Llanelli area and won a corner which landed at the feet of Carlos Indjai and he hooked the ball in to great celebrations as he secured a vital point.
Costly sending off
The outcome was all but settled in the 55th minute when Lido keeper Aaron Jones was sent off in a 50-50 challenge. Lido at this point were 2-1 down but were clawing their way back into the game, once Jones was sent off the game that put paid to our chances of getting a result. We began the game well and created two early chances which went narrowly wide and in the early stages we took the game to Taffs Well. Taffs took the lead on 19 minutes and doubled their lead on 29. Aaron Jones was unlucky, he made a superb double save from close range but the second squirmed away from him and trickled over the line. Rocked by this our defending became poor and a lot of aimless balls were played. We made a double substitution at half time with Owen Williams and Mike McCalmon replacing Josh Webber and Harry Davies. In the early stages of the second half, we again took the game to Taffs and this time it had the desired affect with Liam Griffiths heading in on 51 minutes. However, 4 minutes later came the decisive incident, disappointingly for the spectator it ruined the game. Cai Owens took over from Aaron and he was beaten on 68 and 69 minutes with the fifth goal coming on 80 minutes. By then we had made a further 3 substitutions and played out the game without conceding any more goals.
Game on
Tonight’s game against Taffs Well is ON despite the rain
Three points for the reserves
The Reserves beat second placed Ammanford 3-1, Ben Keen headed them into the lead only for Ammanford to equalise 8 minutes later and it remained level at the interval. The Reserves were again guilty of missing a host of chances but Luke Mcdonald supplied a superb cross for Cameron Harris to head them back into the lead. It remained 2-1 into the last 10 minutes, Sean Hanbury scored with a free kick from just outside the area to ensure they collected the 3 points.
Unbeaten run comes to an end
A heavy pitch, a lack of atmosphere and a poor performance saw the Lido lose their first game in five. Lido created the first chance as Ioan Evans unleashed a shot from distance which Martin did well to get behind and hold. Uni responded with an attack of their own as Huddart went close as he met a deep cross with a looping header which was slightly too high. On 13 minutes the Uni created another chance as Matras took a shot from distance but it flew over the bar. There wasn’t much to report as both teams struggled to get much traction on a difficult pitch and openings were few and far between. On the half hour Ben Keen was released through on goal but under heavy pressure from the centre back his shot was charged down by Martin who kept it out brilliantly. On 35 minutes there was a superb triple save from Aaron Jones. Adam Orme steadied himself after connecting with a cross but his shot was charged down by the Lido keeper. Jones then clawed away the deflected rebound before diving on a third rebound to deny the hosts an opener. On 39 minutes Lido opened up the Uni defence with some great play, Sean Hanbury played Ioan Evans through out wide, he spotted Laim Griffiths running through and supplied a low cross but the Lido striker just failed to connect by centimetres and the ball ran wide. That would have been a certain goal with the Uni keeper beaten.
Half time arrived and it was a bit of a flat affair with few chances at either end. Aaron Jones had kept Lido in the game with a series of superb saves while at the other end Liam Griffiths and Ben Keen went close.
There was some nice early pressure in the second half from Lido as Connor Harris and Ioan Evans supplied crosses causing danger for the home defence. Chris Jones also delivered a corner which Griffiths rose to meet but he couldn’t keep his header down. Lido created another chance on 54 minutes when Sean Hanbury touched a pass into the path of Connor Harris but he snatched at his shot and it went wide. Into the last twenty minutes and it had become quite cagey with both sides proving difficult to break down and some poor decisions were being made in the final third by both attacks. With 15 minutes to go Sean Hanbury pulled the trigger from just outside the box, the ball deflected off an incoming defender forcing Luke Martin into a great save to tip it wide. Out of the blue Uni scored and it was a poor goal to concede. It was an orthodox right wing corner, no-one attacked the ball allowing Tim Hicks to steal in and nod home. With three minutes to go Ioan Evans went down under pressure in the box but the referee waved away the penalty appeals. In added time Ioan Evans in space shot first time but the ball went over the bar, that was costly as from the restart the Uni went down and netted their second to secure the points. Lido still had time to see Ioan Evans hit the crossbar with a volley from 12 yards, a disappointing performance after our good run, now all eyes turn to Taffs Well on Friday.