The women’s team defeated Cardiff Bluebells 13-0 in a league cup tie this afternoon. Zoe Parfitt with 5 goals led the way followed by Bryanna Demery with 4. Georgia Thorne with 2, Catherine Jones and Lowri Wareham completed the scoring.

The Reserves included several new signings for their derby match at Port Talbot. Lido took the lead on 4 minutes when Toby Link-Jones got on the end of a free kick to head in and he doubled the lead on 23 minutes when another free kick was headed across the face of the goal for Toby to head in from close range. Michael McCalmon extended the lead on 31 minutes following a right wing attack. The ball was squared into the area and Michael had the easy task of slotting the ball in. Luke McDonald made it 4-0 on 35 minutes when he picked up a long clearance from Gareth Couch wide left, he cut in and fired into an empty net. In added time another right wing attack saw Michael McCalmon draw the keeper and square the ball for Cameron Harris to sidefoot into the empty net.

Port Talbot were awarded a penalty in the 50^th minute but once again Gareth Couch guessed correctly and saved it. Lido went down the other end and Luke McDonald created space in the area but from 15 yards blazed the ball over the bar. The sixth goal wasn’t long in coming and it was a hat trick goal for Toby Link-Jones. A couple of Lido corners were cleared before the ball was played wide right. The ball was crossed beyond the far post for Elis Newport to head back to Toby Link-Jones to score. Port Talbot then created a series of attacks but Gareth Couch made several excellent saves before being beaten on 67 minutes. Highlight of the closing minutes was the return of Ethan Frankland for his first outing for quite some time, it was nice to see him back on the pitch.

A last gasp equaliser by Goytre United saw the points shared. Lido started well and created the first chance on 8 minutes as a clearance out wide ricocheted off the pressing Ioan Evans and beat the keeper but also evaded the far post. Lido had a goal disallowed on 12 minutes, a brilliant cross from out wide was met by the head of Liam Griffiths and looped into the top corner only to get ruled out for an adjudged push in the box by the Lido forward. This was turning into a typical derby affair with neither side giving much, forcing a battle in the middle of the park but Lido had created the chances so far. Goytre finally settled into the game and tried to get their eye in with a flurry of half chances from distance. On 20 minutes some concerted pressure from Lido saw Indjai and Griffiths win their aerial battles in the box, the ball eventually fell to Hanbury on the edge who placed a shot into the hands of Coughlan

On the half hour there was a chance for Goytre as a long ball found Thomas on his own in space. He teed up the shot and forced a great close range save from Jones in the Lido goal. Minutes later Lido cleared the ball off the line, Goytre forced a breakaway down the left. The ball was fed inside to Thomas who shot for goal and his effort escaped Jones but was cleared off the line by Conor Harris.  Lido took the lead on 40 minutes, Conor Harris cut inside, took the ball into the box at the edge of the area out wide and fired into the far corner.

Disappointingly from a Lido perspective Goytre equalised with their first chance of the second half, a defensive error allowed a counter attack which landed at the feet of Thomas to volley home. Around the hour mark Lido started to reassert their authority on the game regaining a swathe of territory in the Goytre half but were unable to capitalise following some surging runs from Ioan Evans. Liam Griffiths was unlucky on 64 minutes when he met a Conor Harris cross from deep but he directed his header narrowly wide

Lido regained the lead on 77 minutes and again Connor Harris was involved. His cross evaded the Goytre defence and Liam Griffiths nodded in. Four minutes later Ioan Evans was unlucky he twisted and turned in the box and took a shot at goal which Coughlan deflected onto the bar with a fingertip save from point blank range.  Lido again almost extended their lead on 87 minutes when Liam Griffiths played Harry Davies in on goal with a sumptuous through ball and it took a great block from Coughlan to keep it out That proved costly as well into added time Goytre equalised, a misplaced defensive header was seized on and a cross landed at the feet of Cronin to fire home.

Carmarthen completed the double over us with a four goal blitz in the second half. Once again Gareth Couch turned in a man of the match performance between the sticks with a number of excellent saves.

Carmarthen created their first chance after only 2 minutes when the ball fell to Vickers who forced a great point blank save from Couch with the rebound blocked and eventually cleared. Two minutes later and Vickers is again on target after he latched on to a long ball which he volleyed goalwards but again Couch produced a great save. 7 minutes in and Lido created their first chance and it was close. Evans did well to get a low cross into the feet of Edwards. He turned and laid off to Webber, his shot was charged down by keeper James. On 14 minutes Carmarthen caught Lido on the break with the ball eventually landing at the feet of Liam Thomas. He squeezed a shot through the defence which Couch held comfortably. On 19 minutes it was again Carmarthen v Couch as he produced another great save as he diverted a powerful shot from Vickers over the bar with a fingertip save. From the corner Couch with another great save as he flew to his left  to keep out a volley. It was all Carmarthen as the home side peppered the Lido goal. Lido were doing well to hold out. On 34 minutes there were concerning scenes after a clash of heads in the middle of the park. Pike was down, being treated for a head injury and the stretchers were brought out. He got to his feet but was carried off, Luke McDonald replaced him. On 45 minutes Lido despite being under extreme pressure should have taken the lead, Harris bicycle kicked a McDonald free kick onto the head of Hall who flicked it goalwards. It beat James in goal but grazed the far post and out for a goal kick.

Carmarthen came out for the second half looking for the elusive first goal and finally scored it on 50 minutes. Adam John connected with a low cross with his shot being deflected past Couch. Lido should have equalised on 57 minutes following a corner. James in goal could only palm away the corner straight to Harris who somehow volleyed over the bar from close range. Carmarthen doubled their lead on 66 minutes when they picked up a loose pass and fed Adam John who slotted home. On 75 minutes he twisted and turned and played a through ball into Liam Thomas who slotted home from close range. A minute later Lido hit the bar, Cam Harris embarked on a lengthy solo run before firing a piledriver goalwards and it rattled off the woodwork from long range. On 86 minutes Lido again hit the bar, Luke McDonald spotted James off his line from out wide and floated a shot goalwards which clipped the crossbar. In added time former Lido youngster Noah Daley fired home to complete the scoring.

Ben Thomas made a strong challenge on Ioan Evans which went unpunished in the first minute and set the tone for the game.  Lido were awarded a free kick on the edge of the box, Andrew Davies brought down Ioan Evans, this time Davies went into the book. A scrappy affair ensued as both sides tried to assert dominance in the derby game. Lido had a few corners but nothing came of them and then Trefelin took the lead on 30 minutes following a corner, Ryan Griffiths with a 12 yard strike gave them the advantage. Two minutes later Trefelin doubled their lead through Damon Thomas one of many ex Lido players playing for the opposition. Lido pulled one back on 38 minutes when following a goalmouth scramble Ioan Evans slotted home. It was 1-2 at the break and on the hour Jordan Edwards had a huge chance to level the scores but Chris Curtis denied him from close range with a fine save. It was an important save as Damon Thomas then increased the lead on 70 minutes with a strike on the half turn from the edge of the box. The game petered out with Lido unable to get back into the game, the only incident of note from a Lido perspective was John Hall being sent off on 83 minutes for a second yellow card.

Jordan Edwards scored from the penalty spot on 12 minutes, the fifth successive goal scored from the penalty spot in recent matches. After a very good first half Lido fell away badly to concede 6 second half goals in their heaviest league for many seasons.

Pontypridd still smarting from their defeat at the Lido a few weeks ago started brightly. Their first chance on 3 minutes fell to Sam Johnson who shot from long distance but the ball just drifted wide of the post. Lido responded with a Josh Webber free kick which was whipped in looking for the far post but it drifted just wide. On 11 minutes a Lido appeal for hand ball in the Pontypridd area was waved away but a minute later a penalty was awarded when Jordan Edwards was brought down. His spot kick was accurate and gave Lido the lead. Lido went close to doubling their lead on 16 minutes when a Josh Webber cross was almost turned into his own net by Shane Parry. It took an outstanding save by keeper Morgan Davies to prevent a second goal. It was a crucial save as a minute later Gavin Beddard levelled the scores heading in from close range. Ironically after a terrific spell of Lido pressure Pontypridd took the lead after 31 minutes. The ball was crossed in from wide right and Sam Johnson headed in. Steffan Rogers then produced a fine save to deny Gavin Beddard a second goal and Lido suffered an injury blow on 39 minutes when Liam Griffiths was forced off to be replaced by Taylor Evans. With only a goal between the sides at the break it was set up for an interesting second half.

Luke McDonald replaced Jordan Pike at half time, Pontypridd came out of the blocks quickly in the second half with Aiden Lewis shooting from distance. The ball took a deflection wrong footing Stefan Rogers but luckily for the Lido it went just wide of the post. Lido struggled to get a foothold in the second half and Pontypridd were camped out in Lido’s half. It was no surprise they went 3-1 up in the 64th minute with a breakaway goal as they quickly countered from a rare Lido attack. Jarrad Welch supplied the final ball across the face of goal for Sam Johnson to tap home. This opened the floodgates and 3 minutes later Aiden Lewis fired home a free kick from distance to make it four. Lido lost the ball in the middle of the park and Drew Fahiya was clear of the defence to drive his shot home to make it five on 71 minutes. Worse was to follow as it was six on 74 minutes when Jordan Knott backheeled in a corner. 75 minutes saw the seventh when Drew Fahiya picked up a loose ball and though his first shot was parried by Rogers the rebound fell back into his path and he fired home. Lido managed to repel further attempts to increase the lead until the 90th minute when Vaughan Fowler shot from distance the ball ricocheted off the post into the net to round off the scoring.