It could only happen on Friday the 13th!  Our bus was involved in an accident so we had to travel by car to Haverfordwest. We started ok with an early attack which the Haverfordwest defence cleared. Then for a period of time they held the ball and knocked it around but they didn’t make any inroads on our goal. They took the lead on 17 minutes when an attack down the right saw the ball crossed in and headed against the crossbar, their player reacted quickest and scored with a close range shot. On 22 minutes Noah Daley had a shot blocked and Haverfordwest broke quickly but the shot went straight to Steve Cann. Alex Gammond headed a corner wide on the half hour, to this point it was our best chance. Haverfordwest went two up on 35 minutes, they played the ball down their left and Steve Cann raced out of the area but a Haverfordwest player got to it first and crossed the ball into the goalmouth where it was put into the net. Jack Hurley was unlucky with a shot from the edge of the area which went inches wide. But we reduced the arrears on 39 minutes from a corner. It was met perfectly by Alex Gammond and his header gave the defence no chance of clearing. On the stroke of half time we had a chance to draw level from a free kick 25 yards out in a central position but Alex Gammond’s free kick went over the crossbar.

From the restart we attacked and Jack Hurley shot at the keeper. Steve Cann again came out of the area and failed to clear the ball, this time however the shot went wide. Kaid Mohamed tried his luck with a long range effort which forced a good save by Steve Hall in goal. We went 3-1 down on 55 minutes, Haverfordwest attacked down our left where there was a huge space they took the ball into the area but the shot was blocked, however it fell kindly to one of the midfield players who was following up and he sent an unstoppable shot into the net. Again Haverfordwest attacked down their right where there was oceans of space but this time we managed to clear the danger. Jack Hurley then won the ball in midfield and found Kaid Mohamed he made ground and passed to Brad Flay but his shot went wide. Haverfordwest’s fourth goal came following a Lido free kick. We pushed forward looking to get back into then game but the kick was cleared and a long ball forward found us wanting at the back and they scored to settle the result. Kaid Mohamed’s luck was out as a header beat Steve Hall in goal but he instinctively stuck out a hand to make the save. The fifth was scored in similar fashion a couple of minutes from time. A result to reflect on, Haverfordwest on the night played very well but we need to respond to this and get ourselves up the table.

Kaid Mohamed scored in the 94th minute to give us the three points. Both sides missed several good opportunities before Kaid’s shot gave the keeper no chance.

We won an early corner following a good run by Ben Symons, the cross was headed on but the Llantwit keeper saved. A sweeping move down the left saw Sacha Walters cross the ball in for Kaid Mohamed but he directed his header the wrong side of the post. Llantwit responded with an attack of their own but the forward’s shot went over the bar. Llantwit were awarded a free kick which we cleared for a throw. We then cleared the throw but a midfield player picked up the ball 25 yards out and shot first time but again it was over the bar. We went behind on 17 minutes, we lost the ball when attacking down the right and Llantwit moved the ball quickly to set up and take the scoring chance. Ben Symons was again doing well on the right making 40 yards before being crowded out by a couple of defenders. Steve Morris was booked for a nothing challenge, the ref saying it was the number of fouls he had committed. On the half hour following a Llantwit free kick they should have doubled their lead but could only direct their header at Steve Cann. After 38 minutes a Lido free kick was punched away by the keeper and a Kaid Mohammed shot was blocked and cleared. Just before the interval Llantwit again wasted an opportunity somehow twice hitting Steve Cann in goal, the second time he crucially held on to the ball. Right on half time a Ben Symons cross was narrowly headed wide by Kaid Mohamed.

We took the game to Llantwit in the early stages of the second half and they persisted in keeping 10 men behind the ball in an effort to protect their lead. We had an early chance to draw level when Kaid Mohamed headed a Ben Symons free kick on to Alex Gammond but he couldn’t keep his shot down and it went out for a goal kick. The referee called back Llantwit for a free kick not allowing advantage. Luckily for him the shot that went in as he blew the whistle hit the post rather than the back of the net! The resultant free kick was cleared. Just before the hour a good turn and run by Noah Daley set up a chance for Sean Hanbury but he shot over the bar. We continued to put pressure on the home team and finally after 67 minutes it paid off. Sacha Walters drove into the home penalty area and was tripped, Kaid Mohamed netted the resultant penalty. From the kick off Llantwit went into our box and somehow missed an open goal. Kaid Mohammed was fouled 25 yards out in a central position but Sean Hanbury’s strike went just over the bar. Kaid Mohamed headed clear a Llantwit corner which then saw Lido break quickly winning a corner. Somehow Alex Gammond failed to hit the target with his header from a couple of yards. With 2 minutes to go Jack Hurley played the ball wide to Noah Daley just inside the box, his shot hit a defender and then the crossbar before being cleared. Llantwit then attacked and again from only a couple of yards the ball was headed wide of an open goal. In the fourth minute of added time we finally scored the winner, Noah Daley in the area back heeled the ball into the path of Kaid Mohamed and he drilled the ball past the keeper to send the Lido supporters wild with excitement.

Our disappointing run continues with a 1-0 defeat at Llanelli

Three home games and three defeats to start the season. Add this to last year when we lost 6 home games is poor to say the least by contrast, away last season we won 10 of our 15 games only losing 3 and our 3 points to date were picked up on the road.

We kept the same side that won 2-0 at Caerau Ely except Gareth Couch started in goal as Steve Cann was delayed returning from Bath. In the time he was on Couchie made an outstanding save diving to his right to turn a goalbound shot away.

We had the first chance of the game on 5 minutes when the ball was diverted in the path of Kaid Mohamed 40 yards out. He sped towards the goal but he shot at the Pontypridd keeper and the chance was lost. Two minutes later Jack Hurley’s pass found Kaid Mohamed who shot first time, again it was saved and played wide to Kaid who crossed low for Jack Hurley whose touch took the ball just wide. On 11 minutes saw Pontypridd break and Couchie make his fine save at the expense of a corner. Ben Symons then played the ball down the line for Noah Daley, he beat his marker but his cross was too long for Kaid Mohamed and the chance was lost. On 19 minutes we lost the ball in attack, Pontypridd hit a long ball forward and their player went around Gareth Couch but somehow faced with an open goal they only managed to hit the post! They didn’t have long to wait for a goal and it came via the penalty spot for an alleged foul by Alex Gammond on his 100th Tier 2 start. We went straight back on the attack played the ball into the box and there were huge calls for a hand ball which the referee failed to see and a chance of an immediate reply was gone. On the half hour some great blocking by a couple of our defenders cleared a dangerous attack. On 35 minutes we cleared a corner and Noah Daley made ground and reached halfway before he was taken out by a dreadful challenge. Our players were outraged by it and responded, resulting in two bookings for us and also two for Pontypridd. Disappointingly there was no red card for the challenge. We continued to push forward looking for an equaliser an just before the interval a second shout for a penalty fell on deaf ears, not our night so far.

We had an early chance to level in the second half but a header from a free kick went wide. We continued to press for an equaliser, Pontypridd’s game plan was to hit a long ball from defence at every opportunity. It paid off for them when they scored a second goal, Steve Cann made a save but the ball was played back in and despite Ben Symons efforts to clear the ball just went over the line. Finally, we were awarded a penalty on 58 minutes thanks to the assistant who was flagging furiously. Kaid Mohamed scored from the spot to get us back into the game. The remainder of the game saw a lot of Lido pressure but Pontypridd defended well to deny any real clear chances. Pontypridd went 3-1 up on 76 minutes in a rare attack  and for a couple of minutes from time they had a player sent off for a far less dangerous challenge than the one in the first half. We move on to Friday and a game at Llanelli which starts a run of three away games.

Two new signings, Ben Symons at full back and the much travelled Kaid Mohamed up front. Caerau Ely lost 5-0 away at Haverfordwest on the opening day and have a relatively young side but they started on the attack with a shot from the edge of the area going just wide. Ben Symons headed a free kick clear but it was picked up by the Caerau midfield and played back into the box for a Caerau player to head the ball goalwards but it lacked power and was straight Steve Cann who easily gathered the ball. Noah Daley went on a run down the left wind but his cross was cut out and cleared. Caerau broke quickly but Lewis Holmes stood strong and held up the attack. Ben Symons played a good ball down the right touchline for Bradley Flay and he won a corner. From a planned move the ball was played into the area and a couple of players tried to turn the ball in but the successful one was Steve Morris for his first goal. Liam McCreesh then played a great ball into the box for Noah Daley to head in but he had drifted offside. Another McCreesh ball found Kaid Mohamed in the area, he rounded the keeper but again the offside flag was up. Caerau Ely were awarded a free kick 40 yards out, it was played into the box and we blocked a shot, the rebound went to another Caerau player but he hooked the ball over the crossbar from close range. On the half hour we coolly played the ball out of defence with several players involved but it ended with an overhit pass resulting in another Caerau attack which we again cleared. Ben Symons was combining well with Bradley Flay down the right wing and several dangerous crosses were cleared by the Caerau defence. Late in the first half Caerau played a free kick short went down the right but from a good position shot wide.

The early minutes of the second half was almost a repeat of the first. Caerau attacked and had plenty of possession. Steve Cann came out to punch a corner clear and a Caerau player tried his luck from distance but his shot went wide. Kaid Mohamed then got to the bye line and this time it was the Caerau keeper’s turn to punch away his cross. Just after the hour Kaid picked up the ball, made ground but was tackled on the edge of the area the ball went was played wide to Sacha Walters who crossed in for Liam McCreesh but his header went over the bar. At this point around 65 minutes play was end to end with neither side taking control of the game. Then Sean Hanbury found Bradley Flay wide, he cut inside and the ball went out for a Lido throw. We put in a couple of crosses but the Caerau defence held firm. Kaid Mohamed received the ball on the left, cut inside and looked dangerous but his touch let him down and the ball went through to the keeper. With 15 minutes to go Steve Cann saved a Caerau shot but the ball rebounded to another Caerau player, his goalbound shot was blocked by Ben Symons and cleared. Liam McCreesh picked up the clearance and played the ball in for Kaid Mohamed but the keeper was quickly out to save. With 9 minutes to go we scored the second to almost make the 3 points safe. A Caerau defender had the ball forty yards from goal with no-one behind him, he dwelt on the ball and Bradley Flay nipped in to steal it Kaid Mohamed then took the ball into the area and slotted it low to the keeper’s left.

With 5 minutes to go Liam McCreesh again found Kaid Mohamed wide left, he in turn crossed the ball in for Alex Gammond but his shot from a reasonable position went wide. Kaid was seeing a lot of the ball at this stage of the game and he hit the ball wide for Sacha Walters but he was flagged offside. In the closing stages the ball was crossed in for Bradley Flay but his first time effort went wide.

This was a disappointing performance against a poor Undy Athletic side. We failed to seriously test their keeper and persisted in knocking high balls forward which were easily claimed by the visitor’s defence. Once again, the defence played solidly and Undy scored with one of the few chances they created. They missed several other chances as we pushed forward looking for an equaliser We now move on to Caerau Ely next Saturday with hopefully a better performance.