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.

A vital win for the Lido with Jordan Edwards netting a 10 minute hat trick and Gareth Couch saving his third penalty in three games.

A minutes silence was held before the game in respect of Gordon Duggan, a loyal supporter in our League of Wales, Welsh Premier days. Despite living in Clydach he rarely missed a game home or away.

We made a great start scoring in the third minute, Jordan Edwards broke free and squared the ball  for Liam Griffiths who fired home from close range. We nearly extended our lead in the eighth minute when Ioan Evans broke free and took a shot at goal which was parried well by Watkins in the Cwmbran goal. We dominated the early exchanges playing with purpose and finding the space behind the opposition midfield. Cwmbran probed tentatively but Lido were holding the lines well. In the twenty seventh minute Lido went close as Rory Healey took a potshot from distance which rattled off the back stanchion. Lido extended their lead in the thirty fifth minute when Jordan Edwards met a deep free kick and nodded it home into the bottom corner.  Three minutes later he doubled his score when Ioan Evans drilled in a low cross which ricocheted off Jordan Edwards and beat the keeper, neither of whom knew much about it. The visitors missed a big chance in the fortieth minute as a deep cross was met by Meechan who kneed it over the bar with Couch beaten

Jordan Edwards completed his hat trick in the forty fifth minute as he dug a header out towards goal and, despite protestations, it was adjudged to have crossed the line.  From the kick off Cwmbran went down the other end and were awarded a penalty as Gareth Couch was adjudged to have brought down his man in the box despite heavy protestations from the Lido defence. The referee following discussions with his assistant overturned his decision, a satisfactory half for the Lido seeing them four goals to the good.

There was only one thing for Cwmbran Celtic to do in the second half and that was to go for broke. They started strongly and pulled a goal back in the forty ninth minute with a great goal from distance. Lewis Iles with the strike giving Cwmbran Celtic the lift they required. They started to stamp their authority on the half with some decent passages of play causing a few problems for the Lido defence after the goal. No further chances of note were created but the visitors have approached this half with a fresh sense of urgency. Liam Griffiths almost scored his second in the sixty third minute when he connected with a Jordan Pike free kick Lewis Watkins made the save, fumbled the ball but recovered before anyone could turn the ball in. Lido were putting some great passages of play together in response to some concerted Cwmbran pressure. Then in the sixty sixth minute Cwmbran were awarded a penalty when John Hall brought down his man on the edge of the box. Gareth Couch guessed correctly and for the third match running saved the spot kick. Cwmbran eventually scored a second with another long range shot from Lewis Isles giving Couch no chance. Cwmbran continued to look for a third goal and on times only desperate defending kept them out. However, Lido made the game safe in the eighty sixth minute, breaking away with Ioan Evans who embarked on a mazy run before playing in Harry Davies to fire home his first senior goal for the club. This killed off Cwmbran and secured a hard earned three points.

The Ladies team picked up their first away win yesterday with a hard fought game at Aberaman. They got off to a great start with Rosie Morrisey scoring after 2 minutes. Aberaman levelled on 4 minutes but Georgia Thorne (10) and Zoe Parfit 13 minutes put the girls in the driving seat. However Aberaman didn’t lie down and they reduced the arrears on 17 minutes and then they levelled the scoring on 34 minutes. Zoe Parfitt then stepped up with two second half goals to complete her hat trick before Aberaman scored a late goal.

The reserves won an entertaining top of the table clash at Ammanford 3-1 with two goals from Josh Webber and the opening goal from Luke McDonald who was celebrating his 18th birthday. Lido had the better of the first half exchanges but couldn’t turn possession into goals. Rory Healey shot wide from a corner. Ammanford headed a free kick over the bar in a rare raid into Lido territory and on 27 minutes Louie Cirotto got down well to save a shot. Ioan Evans beat several players in a positive attack but as he reached the area he lost the ball and the attack fizzled out. On the half hour a good move involving several players saw Cameron Harris head over the bar. The first goal wasn’t long in coming after that as Jordan Pike played the ball down the line for Josh Webber. Luke McDonald met his cross and his powerful shot gave the keeper no chance to give us a deserved lead. Two minutes later (36 ) Josh Webber doubled the lead when he cut in from the left and fired a low shot past the keeper. Ammanford tried to respond but Steve Morris broke up the attack and set up another Lido attack. Ammanford were awarded a free kick which was headed clear but they picked up the loose ball and tried a long distance shot which went over the crossbar. Ioan Evans had another run at the Ammanford defence in added time but his shot went over the bar.In the early seconds of the second half Cameron Harris went on a good run and found Josh Webber who made ground into the box but the keeper saved his shot. Then a reversal of the first half Ammanford took charge of the second and put the Lido defence under pressure.  In a rare break Luke McDonald fed Harry Davies who tried a chip from the right side of the area but it just missed the far post with the keeper beaten. From the resultant goal kick Ammanford played the ball forward and scored with a low shot from wide out which beat everyone. Ammanford put on the pressure but Lido defended well combined to some poor shooting kept the score at 2-1. Josh Webber had another opportunity to extend the lead but under pressure shot just wide. With 10 minutes to go Cameron Harris again headed over the bar from a free kick. Josh Webber settled the result on 87 minutes when he drifted in from wide left and curled the ball around the keeper into the far corner.  Ammanford didn’t give up though and Louie Cirotto did well to punch the ball clear following a corner just ahead of the final whistle.

Going to the unbeaten league leaders is a daunting task, going there with a side depleted by Covid and injuries is difficult to say the least. Although we lost, the side can hold their heads up by a stirring performance especially in the first half when we created several opportunities.

We went behind in the fifth minute following a Lido corner. It was cleared to the half way and they had two speedy forwards who sped towards the goal, Lido were outnumbered and conceded. Lido almost equalised within seconds, a ball into the box by Connor Harris was headed inches wide by Liam Griffiths. Gareth Couch was called into action on ten minutes, firstly punching clear a corner then saving the incoming shot. On twenty minutes Jackson Hall found Taylor Evans who in turn fed Liam McDonald. His ball into the box was headed just wide by Liam Griffiths. Twenty three minutes saw Taylor Evans in space in the area but he fired over the bar. Josh Webber beat a couple of players but he lost the ball as he entered the penalty area. On thirty three minutes a quick Lido attack saw Taylor Evans again shoot over the bar. Just before the interval the Llantwit keeper fumbled the ball but Lido were unable to take advantage and another chance went begging. The next goal was to be crucial in the game and it was the home side who scored it on fifty eight minutes, once again it was from a Lido corner, a quick break and a tap in from a left wing cross. This settled down Llantwit as there were signs of frustration in their game. The result was settled in the sixty seventh minute, Connor Harris cleared the ball off the line but played it to a Llantwit player whose shot took a deflection giving Gareth Couch no chance. The seventy first minute summed up our day, a great move set up Josh Webber who blazed his shot over the bar when completely unmarked in the box. Llantwit played out the remaining minutes and were awarded a penalty in added on time. For the second match running Gareth Couch made the save.

Lido started well Jordan Edwards pinged a cross into the box for Evans to meet with his head but Rano got down well to save. Ammanford minute but it was flagged offside. We had another let off on nine minutes when Ammanford twice hit the post, Firstly Fisher shot from distance which evaded Couch but rebounded off the post to Jenkins. His follow-up deflected off Couch but again rattled the woodwork and bounced clear. Lido were forced into an early substitution when Samm Harrison limped off to be replaced by Taylor Evans. Ammanford were starting to create a series of chances  putting pressure on the Lido defence and asserting territorial dominance in the Lido half. However Lido started exerting pressure of their own as they win three corners in a row. On 32 minutes Ioan Evans went down in the area under a challenge but referee Ben Williams ignored the appeals.

Ioan was then booked for a late challenge on Matthew Fisher. Fisher and Dillon are subsequently booked for retaliation as the incident sparked a melee in the middle of the park. On 41 minutes  Ammanford were awarded a soft penalty but Couchie was the hero saving Trundle’s spot kick which he placed to the bottom right and Couch made a superb save to turn it around the post. The drama wasn’t over as a minute later Lido were awarded a penalty as Edwards drove into the box and was brought down. Jordan got up and coolly slotted past the Ammanford keeper. There was another chance for Lido as Ioan Evans shot but Rano in goal managed to block the shot.

The second half started scrappily with neither side able to get their foot on the ball and dictate play. However, the Lido created a handful of chances with both Jordan Edwards and Ioan Evans going close. On 58 minutes Leon Britton misplaced a back pass straight into the path of Jordan Edwards but Rano closed down his shot which then found Harry Davies whose rebound was deflected just over the bar. On the hour Lido replaced Liam Griffiths with Josh Webber as Ammanford pushed forward and once again there was a great save from Couch. Fisher tried to guide a low shot goalwards from the edge of the box and Couch got down to tip it wide. Ammanford equalised on 67 minutes from a corner as Euros Griffiths rose above the defence to head home. Worse was to follow as on 70 minutes Ioan Evans went down in the box but the referee adjudged it to have been a dive and showed Evans the red card.  Despite being down to 10 men Lido pushed forward and were unlucky when Edwards beat his defender and squeezed a shot past Rano which looked to be rolling in but it rebounded off the far post and wriggled clear. Minutes later in a virtual repeat Lido went back into the lead, Edwards released Josh Webber clear and he placed his shot into the bottom corner. The lads battled hard and it was going to be a tough ten minutes weathering the inevitable storm. Jordan Edwards went off injured to be replaced by Luke McDonald, with 3 minutes of normal time to go there was another save from Couch as he got down low to turn a shot behind. We held on with some heroic defending for a welcome 3 points.