Lido opened the campaign with a 3-1 win at neighbours Baglan Dragons. Liam Griffiths scored in the first half and the lead was held until 15 minutes from time when Baglan scored from the penalty spot. Minutes later Griffiths headed Lido back in front and Josh Webber scored to ensure progress into round 2. Next Friday the league campaign starts with a home game against newly promoted Abertillery Bluebirds.

This was easily our best performance to date. A Sean Hanbury shot was turned behind by the keeper and from the corner we took the lead on 8 minutes. The keeper punched the ball out but only to Ben Keen who was just inside the area and he fired home through a gap in the defensive set up. Carmarthen should have equalised on 16 minutes but former Lido youngster Noah Daley mishit his shot and Steve Cann collected. Both sides were strong in midfield and this is where most of the play took place, there were few goalmouth incidents in the first 20 minutes. Carmarthen had a goal disallowed on 26 minutes, Liam Thomas tapped home a cross but was adjudged offside. Ioan Evans set Liam McCreesh free but Liam Griffiths could only head the ball into the side netting. Chris Jones then hit the bar with a free kick on 28 minutes and chances now started coming with Scott Tancock heading just wide. Liam Griffiths had a chance on 36 minutes, the Carmarthen keeper raced off his line to close down Liam, he turned and shot but the ball went just wide of the target. In added time in a repeat of Liam’s previous effort he chased down a long ball forward and lobbed the keeper to make it 2-0 at the break. Carmarthen came out quickly in the second half but the Lido defence held firm. On the hour Lido created another chance with Liam Griffiths playing Ioan Evans through. His cross was cleared into the path of Griffiths but his first time shot went just over the bar. Within a minute Lido did score their third, Liam Griffiths picked up a defensive mistake and squared the ball in for Ioan Evans to tap into the empty net. Lido defended in depth now with Carmarthen searching for gaps to attack but the Lido back line didn’t offer much for the home side. With 13 minutes to go Carmarthen were offered a lifeline when Jackson Hall was adjudged to have fouled Liam Thomas in the area. However, Steve Cann guessed correctly and saved Liam Thomas’s penalty and with it went Carmarthen’s last realistic hope of getting something out of the game. Inside the last 10 minutes, Chris Jones set up Ioan Evans who closed in on goal but the Carmarthen keeper made a good save to deny Ioan a second goal.

Chris Jones scoring from the penalty spot after Ioan Evans was fouled and Lido looked comfortable but once again were guilty of not taking the chances that they created. Then on 33 minutes Carlos was injured, which meant a reshuffle with midfielder Ben Keen dropping back alongside Jackson Hall and Sacha Walters replacing Ben in midfield. This allowed Ammanford a foothold in the game and a minute later they hit the post with a shot by Jordan Langley. Just before the interval it was Ammanford under the cosh and a Liam McCreesh shot following a corner was cleared off the line with the Lido players appealing for the goal. Ammanford came out for the second half in determined mood and equalised three minutes into the half. It actually followied a Lido corner which was cleared to Lee Trundle who played a great ball to Jordan Langley who spotted Steve Cann off his line and lobbed him from 30 yards. It was now going to be difficult for the Lido with Ammanford pushing forward but some resolute defending and good goalkeeping kept them out. With 20 minutes to go Jay Thomas replaced Liam McCreesh but initially it failed to stem the flow of Ammanford attacks and Callum Silcox tried a long range shot which Cann saved. Lido then came back into the game and Brad Flay tried his luck from outside the area, the ball took a slight deflection and was well saved by the Ammanford keeper. With 3 minutes to go Lido won a corner on the left, it went over everyone but Liam Griffiths beyond the far post made contact with the ball which somehow eluded everyone and ended up in the net. Ammanford threw on 4 substitutes, the match went into 5 minutes of added time but the Lido held on to win the three points. .

From failed favourites against Hakin United on Saturday to victors over Cymru Premier side Pontypridd in the Nathaniel Cup MG Cup on Tuesday. The side played with far more purpose and looked solid at the back. While accepting this was nowhere near Pontypridd’s strongest side, we made changes from Saturday and for most of the game we were comfortable. At half time it was difficult to see how we would score but two goals in a two minute spell early in the second half sealed the result. It was a cagey start by both sides, plenty of long balls being played to no real advantage with neither keeper being troubled. The opening goal when it came was from a poor defensive header intended for the keeper but it lacked power. Liam Griffiths latched on to the ball and with the keeper committed and in no mans land Liam lobbed him with the ball just dipping under the crossbar to give us the lead. Encouraged by this we again attacked and won a corner which Sacha Walters took and the ball ended up in the back of the net. Opinion was it went straight in giving Sacha the goal although some felt it was an own goal, but the goal counted which was all that mattered. Spurred on by these reverses Pontypridd pushed forward but some resolute defending kept them at bay. Steve Cann made probably one save during the game and was largely unemployed. With 20 minutes to go Lido replaced Michael McCalmon and Jay Thomas with Josh Webber and Ioan Evans, adding pace to both flanks. Inside the last 10 minutes Liam McCreesh replaced Ben Keen to add a little more experience for the final minutes.