We progressed to round 2 of the league cup with late goals from Liam McCreesh and a first senior goal for Jamie Karnsang. We had the bulk of possession but most of it was in defence or midfield with Trethomas content to sit back and try and catch us on the break. If they had their shooting boots on they could in fact have been out of sight before we took the lead. Several relatively easy chances were missed coming back to haunt them at the end. We were without Sacha Walters and the injured Cai Owens with Callum Lewis making a first start.

We had an early warning when in the third minute a long ball from the Trethomas keeper went over everyone allowing a striker in on goal but he dragged his shot wide of the far post. After a period of Lido possession Liam McCreesh chipped the ball into the area but the keeper was out to gather just ahead of our attackers. Jack Fleming beat a couple of defenders going down the left, Liam McCreesh met his cross cut inside but turned his shot wide. Trethomas took the lead on 15 minutes when Liam McCreesh in trying a first time pass forward only succeeded in playing it straight to Tom Neville the Trethomas 10, he had a clear run in on goal, drew Rory McCreesh out and shot across him into the net. Trethomas were now more than happy to defend in depth allowing us all the possession but our play was slow making it easy for them to close any gaps that we might have created. Finally, on 29 minutes we picked up the pace and Liam McCreesh had a shot blocked, the ball rebounded to him and he placed his shot giving the keeper no chance. Minutes later McCreesh again cut in and shot but the keeper saved at his near post. Trethomas should have retaken the lead on 38 minutes when following a long throw the striker only had Rory McCreesh to beat but shot straight at him then with no defenders reacting to the danger somehow he headed the rebound over the bar.

Liam McCreesh sent a 47th minute free kick just over the bar as we started the second half at a quicker pace. Following a Lido free kick for an offside the ball was played to Jack Hurley, he played a 1-2 and went into the box and appeared to be fouled but the referee waved our protests away. On 55 minutes Trethomas broke and had a 1 on 1 with Rory McCreesh, Rory came out to narrow the angle and the forward took an early shot but only managed to hit Rory with the ball going for a corner. We cleared the corner but some poor defending allowed a Trethomas player into the area but although well placed he shot wide. Into the last 20 minutes and a Jack Hurley corner flashed across the face of the goal with no-one getting a touch. We finally took the lead on 82 minutes when Jack Hurley found substitute Jack Underwood, he raced forward and found Jack Fleming on the left, his cross was met by Liam McCreesh almost under the crossbar and he only had to touch it over the line amid calls from Trethomas for offside. 2 minutes later and it was 3-1, again Jack Underwood was involved and again he ran into the box, drew a couple of players and the keeper and squared the ball to Jamie Karnsang who shot into the empty net. There was still time for Trethomas to hit a post in an effort to get back into the game but we successfully saw out the remaining minutes to earn a trip to Pontyclun on September 8th.

Lido side

Rory McCreesh  2 Josh Doyle  3 Jack Fleming  4 Craig Jones  5 Lewis Holmes  6 Taylor Evans  7 Liam McCreesh  8 Owen Williams  9 Noah Daley  10 Jack Hurley  11 Callum Lewis

Subs  12 Morgan Freeman for Taylor Evans 90  14 Jamie Karnsang for Owen Williams 74  15 Toby Link-Jones  16 Jack Underwood for Callum Lewis 79  17 Tom Owen

Once again the weather played a big part in this game. The wind off the sea blowing straight down the pitch posed both sides problems. Numerous passes on the wind were overhit resulting in goal kicks galore. We played with the wind at our backs in the first half and struggled to get any pattern into our game, Ammanford created the better chances but they failed to score with a couple of golden opportunities. Rory McCreesh made a great save on 9 minutes from an Ammanford free kick diving to his left to keep out the shot however the ball went straight to an Ammanford player who headed the ball over the bar with the goal at his mercy. On 20 minutes we were awarded a free kick the ball into the box was headed out to Cai Owens, he shot first time the ball taking a deflection and going out for a corner. Lewis Holmes met the corner with a powerful header but a defender headed the ball off the line with the keeper in no man’s land. Cai Owens saw his header off a Craig Jones free kick held by the keeper. On 37 minutes from yet another Lido free kick Craig Jones shot over the crossbar. Just before the interval Lewis Holmes headed wide from a Craig Jones cross.

Ammanford with the elements in their favour also found it difficult not to overhit through balls and but on 56 minutes they almost took the lead. Following a drop ball they knocked the ball wide right and played a low cross into the box, Craig Jones facing his own goal almost put the ball into the net, luckily for us it hit Rory McCreesh rebounded and hit an Ammanford player before going out for a goal kick. On the hour Sacha Walters tried his luck with a free kick but once again the shot was way over the crossbar. Neither side looked like scoring and this was highlighted on 66 minutes when a cross from the Ammanford left went across the face of the goal with no attacking player able to get a touch.  Not a great game with few scoring opportunities spoilt once again by the elements.

Lido side

Rory McCreesh  2 Cai Owens  3 Josh Doyle  4 Craig Jones  5 Lewis Holmes  6 Jamie Karnsang  7 Liam McCreesh  8 Owen Williams  9 Noah Daley  10 Taylor Evans  11 Sacha Walters

Subs  12 Jack Fleming for Cai Owens 67  14 Jack Hurley for Taylor Evans 48 15 Gareth Couch  16 Callum Lewis  17 Morgan Freeman

We kicked off but lost the ball almost immediately and Ton attacked down the right winning a corner. We cleared the corner but conceded a free kick 35 yards out, the ball took a wicked bounce in front of Rory McCreesh and he just managed to tip it over the crossbar for another corner. Ton with the wind at their backs continued to push forward but their final ball into the box was letting them down. On 12 minutes we finally got to grips with the game, Owen Williams won the ball in midfield, he was tackled but the ball fell to debutant Noah Daley but before he could get into his stride he was fouled with Ton clearing the free kick. Owen then received the ball from a throw in and made his way towards the penalty area, he was unable to set himself up for a shot and the ball was cleared but at least we were now making inroads into the Ton defence. We won another free kick which was headed clear but Josh Doyle picked up the loose ball and played it into the area but again the Ton defence stood tall and cleared it. We then had a spell of good pressure and played Liam McCreesh in, he scored but the linesman flagged for offside. We took the lead on 24 minutes, Ton were unable to clear the ball and Noah Daley was in on goal but the ball went off the keeper and out wide. Sacha Walters picked it up beat a defender and shot, the ball going in off the far post with a defender trying desperately to clear it. After a slow start the goal was deserved for the pressure we were putting Ton under. On the half hour Ton pushed forward but another debutant Jamie Karnsang did well to head the ball out for a corner which they headed over the bar. From the goal kick Sacha Walters beat a defender made 30 yards but he dragged his shot wide. Luke Evans did well to head a cross clear before a Ton shot from just outside the area was held by Rory McCreesh. As the half was drifting to a close Ton were trying to get the benefit of the increasing wind but our defence generally coped well with the threat. Noah Daley did well to win the ball and he held it for the supporting Owen Williams but he lost the ball but Noah again won the ball knocked it wide for Sacha Walters who beat the defender but pushed it too far ahead and the keeper came out to claim it ahead of Sacha. For the umpteenth time in the half we were awarded a free kick this time for a foul on Owen Williams Sacha Walters played it to the far post for Lewis Holmes but his header was cleared.

Ton again started the second half at a rate of knots and put us under early pressure but we weathered this storm and had the sniff of a chance when the Ton keeper came way out of his box and lost the ball but Cai Owens wasn’t able to take advantage. Cai Owens gave chase to a long ball forward and won a corner, his header hitting the post and Ton cleared. We now had a few poor moments where a poor pass out of defence was picked up by Ton, Rory McCreesh was out to close the attacker down and Jamie Karnsang did brilliantly to block the shot, the ball going for a corner. We then under hit a back pass to Rory who again was out to tackle the attacker with this time Lewis Holmes making the block. After a few poor moments we got back on the attack but Ton cleared the ball and seemed to foul us in the centre circle. However the referee didn’t give anything and Ton played the ball forward creating another opportunity, Luke Evans fouled the attacker and was deemed to be the last man so he received a straight red. It was a double whammy as Leon Jacka scored from the free kick meaning we had 30 minutes to play with 10 men. We took the game to Ton and the Ton keeper miskicked his goal kick straight to Cai Owens who found Sacha Walters wide left, his cross was met by Noah Daley and his goalbound shot was blocked on the line to deny him a goal on his debut. Sacha Walters took a free kick 35 yards out and his kick hit the crossbar before going out for a goal kick. Despite being down to ten men we were unlucky with a couple of chances. We took the lead on 73 minutes and it was another debutant Lewis Holmes who scored it. Ton gave away a needless corner and Lewis powered a header in from 10 yards. From the restart it looked as though Ton would level the scores but Rory McCreesh made a fine save and substitute Ben Rose-Miles shot wide of an open goal. Noah Daley with a fine flick set up Cai Owens who won a free kick to give us a breather. With 8 minutes to go Rory McCreesh punched a corner clear and Liam then cleared the next ball into the box. Lewis Holmes and Josh Doyle won important headers as the clock ticked down.

An important win and in view of Luke’s red card this was a gutsy performance and gives us something to build on.

Lido side

Rory McCreesh  2 Luke Evans  3 Josh Doyle  4 Craig Jones  5 Lewis Holmes  6 Jamie Karnsang  7 Liam McCreesh  8 Owen Williams  9 Cai Owens  10 Noah Daley  11 Sacha Walters

Subs  12 Matthew Andrews  14 Jack Fleming for Jamie Karnsang 70  15 Morgan Freeman

16 Toby Link-Jones  GK Gareth Couch

Goals Sacha Walters 24  Lewis Holmes 73

We beat Porthcawl 2-1 in the final pre-season friendly. Young Noah Daley netted in the first half but then saw a second half penalty saved. With 20 minutes to go Lewis Holmes scored an own goal but with 10 minutes to go he scored at the correct end!

We defeated Baglan 3-0, Azeem Arshard scored after 10mins and there was no further scoring in the first half. Cai Owens was pushed up front in the second half and he and Owen Williams combined well with Owen scoring with a shot that went in off the post. Minutes later Cai made it 3-0 and only some excellent keeping by Dan James in the Baglan goal kept the score down

We led 1-0 at the interval thanks to a Jack Todd goal, Liam McCreesh netted in the second half to complete the scoring. This game saw a few more senior players make an appearance but once again there were some excellent performances by the youngsters on show.