From Tuesday’s win at Briton Ferry Cai Owens, Noah Daley and Jack Hurley were unavailable so James Parry, Patrick Finneral and Mark Jones returned and it was a triumphant return for Mark who bagged all 5 goals to reach 100 for the club.

We made a disastrous start to the game going behind in 25 seconds. Jack Fleming tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick but a Ton player won the ball laid it off and they scored with a right footed shot. Ton’s direct play was causing us problems and we went two down on 12 minutes when Mike Jones had a free header from a long throw and guided it into the net. Ton immediately conceded a needless penalty which Mark Jones netted with ease. Ton keeper Ryan Fleming then made an excellent save to deny Mark Jones an equaliser We were level however on 18 minutes, Ton were caught offside and Rory McCreesh quickly took the free kick playing the ball deep into the Ton half. A defender failed to control the ball and Mark Jones went through to knock it past the keeper. On 24 minutes we were ahead, and it was down to the keeper who had gathered the ball with Mark Jones in attendance, the keeper twisted his knee and fell to the ground releasing the ball. With no other player within 25 yards Mark calmly strolled to the centre of the goals before tapping the ball in. The unfortunate keeper had to be replaced but his replacement shone with some fine saves. We conceded a penalty on 42 minutes after Rory McCreesh raced out of his goal but was beaten to the ball, we cleared the initial attack but Rory again went walkabout. The ball was crossed right under the crossbar and Neil Thomas handled it and received a red card. Rory McCreesh atoned for his error by saving his fourth penalty on the bounce but within minutes Ton equalised when the defence didn’t react when the ball hit the crossbar and bounce down into the 6 yard area allowing Ton a lifeline just before the interval.

The question on everyone’s lips during the interval was could we play as badly in the second half, well initially we could as Ton hit the crossbar on 50 minutes and following a period of pressure scored again on 55. We did respond to this and Sacha Walters was fouled 25 yards out after a strong run. Unfortunately Chris Hartland’s free kick hit the wall and was cleared. We replaced Alex Gammond and Chris Hartland with Jack Underwood and Jamie Karnsang and within 6 minutes we were back on level terms. We played the ball forward to Mark Jones and despite having several players around him he managed to find some space, he rode a foul tackle with the referee playing a good advantage Mark sped into the area and hit a powerful shot giving the keeper no chance. He then made it 5-4 on 79 minutes, Jack Underwood and Jamie Karnsang combined well and the ball was played to Mark. His right footed shot lacked power but crept just inside the post with the keeper beaten. Jamie Karnsang again did well on 89 minutes playing a great pass to Mark Jones he beat a couple of defenders and hit a great shot which the keeper saved brilliantly diving to his left. There were 5 minutes of added on time, despite the odd scare we held on fairly comfortably.

Rory McCreesh  2 Kieran Parsons  3 Jack Fleming  4 Alex Gammond  5 James Parry  6 Mark Jones  7 Liam McCreesh 8 Patrick Finneral  9 Neil Thomas  10 Chris Hartland  11 Sacha Walters

Subs  14 Paul Evans – 15 Jamie Karnsang – 16 Jack Underwood

Both sides had a host of chances and until Liam McCreesh’s winner with 7 minutes to go it looked as if the game would end goalless. Lido started well with Sacha Walters winning a corner but from a quick free kick on half way the Ferry attacked down the right and played a great ball across the face of goal without anyone getting a touch. Lido’s first real chance fell to Jack Hurley on 8 minutes when he fired a 30 yard shot just wide. Chris Hartland played a great ball into the box for Neil Thomas but his header went inches wide. The Ferry had the ball in the net on 17 minutes but the forward was flagged offside. This followed a great block by Cai Owens to deny a goalbound shot. At this point the Ferry were looking the more likely to score with Tyler Brock cutting in from the right but firing his shot over the bar. On 26 minutes Sacha Walters went on a run, beating a couple of defenders but his shot was safely gathered by the keeper. On 32 minutes somehow the ball failed to go into the Lido net, it hit the inside of the post and rebounded into play before Rory McCreesh gathered the ball. Then Alex Gammond lost the ball and Tyler Brock raced into the area and rounded Rory McCreesh who had slipped on the wet surface, with the goal beckoning Brock rolled the ball towards the net but Alex Gammond raced back to clear the ball inches from the goal line. From the restart Lido won a corner which they played short to Jack Hurley, his 30 yard curling shot beat everyone but went just outside the far post. Just ahead of the interval Sacha Walters powerfully struck shot was parried away by McFenton in the Ferry goal.

Ferry started the second half in a much more positive mood than the Lido and put pressure on the defence from the off. Another goalline clearance this time by Cai Owens prevented them from taking the lead. From a Ferry free kick several attempts at goal were blocked before Rory McCreesh made a save. Lido finally get into gear and Sacha Walters makes a fine run before finding Noah Daley, despite having several defenders around him he managed to get in a shot which drifted just wide of the far post. A series of free kicks in the Ferry’s favour saw them again get on top but Rory McCreesh is equal to a header that came in. With 7 minutes to go the Lido take the lead, Sacha Walters swung in a cross which was met by Liam McCreesh and his header looped over McFenton to nestle in the back of the net. The Ferry won another free kick but Alex Gammond was on hand to head clear. As time ticked away the Lido won a series of corners to keep the ball deep in the Ferry half before the Ferry again attacked down the left and they won a free kick 20 yards out on the left touchline. The ball was swung in and Ian Hilllier headed the ball against the crossbar and we partially cleared it but then the ball was fired in low but again went wide without anyone getting a touch. It was the final action of a game of many chances and some stout defending by both sides..

Rory McCreesh  2 Kieran Parsons  3 Jack Fleming  4 Cai Owens  5 Alex Gammond  6 Noah Daley  7 Liam McCreesh 8 Jack Hurley  9 Neil Thomas  10 Chris Hartland  11 Sacha Walters

subs  12 Jack Underwood for Chris Hartland  82 – 14 Lewis Clement  – 15 Ben Thomas – 16 Jamie karnsang

Despite Rory McCreesh saving two penalties we still lost 3-2 at Cwmamman United. The first penalty given after 10 minutes seemed harsh as Cai Owens was only a couple of yards away from the  ball when a striker shot at goal. McCreesh guessed correctly and turned the ball away for a corner. We then played Noh Daley in but he was forced wide and found the supporting Jack Underwood but his goalbound  shot was cleared. A Lido throw caused problems in the Cwmamman defence and the ball was kicked against Sacha Walters and rebounded inches the wrong side (for us) of the post. We took the lead on 23 minutes when Chris Curtis failed to hold a free kick and Cai Owens netted. Disappointingly we failed to hang on to the lead for any length of time, Rory McCreesh made two diving saves to initially deny an equaliser but he was powerless to stop Ashley Curtis’ shot from the edge of the area which hit the underside of the bar before nestling in the net. As the half progressed McCreesh again made some quality saves while James Parry played a great cross into the Cwmamman area but no Lido player attacked the ball and the chance was lost.

We went behind two minutes into the second half, after Cwmamman attacked down their left, and played the ball in to Ashley Curtis who scored with a right footed shot.  Worse was to come when 6 minutes into the half it was 3-1. We should have pulled a goal back on the hour when Sacha Walters was played in on goal but his shot hit Chris Curtis and went out for a corner. Good defending on our part prevented a fourth goal, several players put their bodies on the line to block goalbound shots. Eventually the ball ran out for a corner, from that Cwmamman were awarded their second penalty but again McCreesh guessed correctly to push the ball away. We had a lifeline with 6 minutes to go, Curtis failed to hold a Chris Hartland shot and Noah Daley was on the spot to turn it in. In added on time he had a chance to level the scores but Curtis spread himself to prevent Noah’s shot going in.

Rory McCreesh  2 Kieran Parsons  3 James Parry  4 Cai Owens  5 Alex Gammond

6 Kieran Howells  7 Liam McCreesh  8 Jack Underwood  9 Noah Daley 10 Chris Hartland

11 Sacha Walters

Subs  12 Jamie Karnsang for Sacha Walters 77  – 14 Josh Webber for Jack Underwood 77

15 Taylor Evans – 16 Paul Evans

The youth beat Trefelin 3-0 to finish unbeaten in their home fixtures. Noah Daley gave us the lead on 6 minutes, both sides missed chances before Patrick Fineral doubled the lead on 75 minutes before wrapping up the scoring on 89 minutes.

Goytre this week signed a number of players in an effort to avoid the drop and their new look team took the game to the Lido in the early stages. They had the bulk of possession and position without troubling the Lido goal. It was this pressing that cost them the Lido goal, a Goytre attack broke down and the ball was played forward to Noah Daley on the halfway line. He was too strong for the defender and raced clear towards the goal. The Goytre keeper came out to narrow the angle but Noah confidently fired it past him from just outside the area to give the Lido a 14th minute lead. Encouraged by this goal Lido pressed forward and Jamie Karnsang played a square ball to Chris Hartland just outside the area but his first time shot went just over the crossbar. Sacha Walters on his return from injury also hit a first time shot over the bar as the Lido looked for a second goal. Again on the half hour Sacha from outside the area saw his shot go over the bar. Goytre looked for an equaliser before the interval and the returning Dan McDonald fired wide from the edge of the area.

Noah Daley won the ball in the early seconds of the second half and cut in from the touchline but lost the ball, it fell nicely for Alex Gammond who hit a first time shot straight at the keeper. Goytre had a great chance to equalise on 51 minutes when a corner flashed across the face of the goal but no-one was able to get a touch and the chance was lost. Lido responded with a couple of corners of their own but Alex Gammond was unable to direct his header on target and the ball flashed wide of the post. Jamie Karnsang had a great chance to double the lead on 65 minutes when he raced on to a square ball but as he went to hit it the ball bobbled and his effort went wide. On 68 minutes Rory McCreesh made a fine save diving high to his right to just tip away a header but Goytre looked as though they were getting back into the game and so it proved when they equalised on 73 minutes. Lido cleared a Goytre corner but Goytre skipper Kris Leek hit an unstoppable thirty yarder that flew into the top of the net. 3 minutes later Neil Thomas almost restored the Lido lead but his left footed shot went the wrong side of the post. Both sides looked for a winner in the final 10 minutes with the Lido tending to snatch at long shots rather than work the ball into the area. However with 2 minutes to go Alex Gammond got on the end of a Cai Owens throw and his goalbound effort was tipped around the post by Ben Fletcher in the Goytre goal to ensure a point for the visitors.

.Rory McCreesh  2 Kieran Parsons  3 Jack Fleming  4 James Parry  5 Jamie Karnsang  6 Neil Thomas  7 Chris Hartland  8 Alex Gammond  9 Noah Daley 10 Cai Owens 11 Sacha Walters

Subs  12 Jack Underwood  for Sacha Walters 85  – 15 Patrick Finneral for Neil Thomas 77 – 16 Lewis Clement  – 17 Paul Evans

A young Reserve side came back from a 2 goal deficit to win 3-2 at Swansea University on Saturday. Jamie Karnsang scored the first with an unstoppable shot and Noah Daley scored the other 2. Credit to the youngsters who battled hard and tackled everything in sight to protect their lead.

Two first half goals by Patrick Fineral was enough to beat Port Talbot at Victoria Road on Sunday. He scored after 35 and 40 minutes, both sides missed chances but the young Reds side picked up a deserved 3 points.