A heavy pitch, a lack of atmosphere and a poor performance saw the Lido lose their first game in five. Lido created the first chance as Ioan Evans unleashed a shot from distance which Martin did well to get behind and hold. Uni responded with an attack of their own as Huddart went close as he met a deep cross with a looping header which was slightly too high. On 13 minutes the Uni created another chance as Matras took a shot from distance but it flew over the bar. There wasn’t much to report as both teams struggled to get much traction on a difficult pitch and openings were few and far between. On the half hour Ben Keen was released through on goal but under heavy pressure from the centre back his shot was charged down by Martin who kept it out brilliantly. On 35 minutes there was a superb triple save from Aaron Jones. Adam Orme steadied himself after connecting with a cross but his shot was charged down by the Lido keeper. Jones then clawed away the deflected rebound before diving on a third rebound to deny the hosts an opener. On 39 minutes Lido opened up the Uni defence with some great play, Sean Hanbury played Ioan Evans through out wide, he spotted Laim Griffiths running through and supplied a low cross but the Lido striker just failed to connect by centimetres and the ball ran wide. That would have been a certain goal with the Uni keeper beaten.

Half time arrived and it was a bit of a flat affair with few chances at either end. Aaron Jones had kept Lido in the game with a series of superb saves while at the other end Liam Griffiths and Ben Keen went close.

There was some nice early pressure in the second half from Lido as Connor Harris and Ioan Evans supplied crosses causing danger for the home defence. Chris Jones also delivered a corner which Griffiths rose to meet but he couldn’t keep his header down. Lido created another chance on 54 minutes when Sean Hanbury touched a pass into the path of Connor Harris but he snatched at his shot and it went wide. Into the last twenty minutes and it had become quite cagey with both sides proving difficult to break down and some poor decisions were being made in the final third by both attacks. With 15 minutes to go Sean Hanbury pulled the trigger from just outside the box, the ball  deflected off an incoming defender forcing Luke Martin into a great save to tip it wide. Out of the blue Uni scored and it was a poor goal to concede. It was an orthodox right wing corner, no-one attacked the ball allowing Tim Hicks to steal in and nod home.  With three minutes to go Ioan Evans went down under pressure in the box but the referee waved away the penalty appeals. In added time Ioan Evans in space shot first time but the ball went over the bar, that was costly as from the restart the Uni went down and netted their second to secure the points. Lido still had time to see Ioan Evans hit the crossbar with a volley from 12 yards, a disappointing performance after our good run, now all eyes turn to Taffs Well on Friday.

Ahead of the game a minutes silence was held for former junior coach and life member Keith Parry who passed away earlier in the week. Keith’s son Stephen and son in law Matthew led the teams out and a sizeable contingent of former players and committee men also took the field to remember and honour Keith.

The Reserves went on to defeat Goytre United 5-3, after an even start Lido took control going into a 3-0 lead. Steve Morris scored following a free kick on 22 minutes. Ben Keen doubled the lead on 26 minutes and a minute later Morgan Gardner made it three. Goytre pulled one back on the stroke of half time through Luke Griffiths. Leading scorer Michael McCalmon restored the three goal advantage beating the offside trap to slot the ball in on 50 minutes. Goytre with the benefit of a strong wind spent a lot of time in the Lido half and Nathan Davies netted on 54 minutes. Rory Healy saw his penalty saved on 77 minutes and three minutes later Callum Dougal was sent off for a second yellow card. Michael McCalmon seemed to make the game safe on 82 minutes with a chip from outside the box giving the keeper no chance. However, Goytre had other ideas and Matthew Jones netted a third on 87 minutes to set up a nervy final couple of minutes.

Both sides fielded former opposition players in their line up with the Ferry fielding Jack Hurley, Alex Gammond and Mark Jones while the Lido fielded Sam Baker and Cameron Harris. Lido took the lead on 21 minutes when Sean Hanbury beat the offside trap to latch on to a long ball forward and fired an unstoppable shot past McFenton in the Ferry goal. The Ferry responded positively and only a great block by former Ferry player Sam Baker denied Tyler Brock an equaliser.  Alex Gammond tried a long range shot which Aaron Jones managed to touch onto the crossbar with the ball going out for a corner. The Ferry equalised in added on time, Aaron Jones came out to punch the ball clear but Alex Gammond from 35 yards chipped the ball over the defence into the net. Ioan Evans had a chance to restore the lead on 51 minutes but a poor touch meant he had to hurry his shot and he dragged it wide. Minutes later a Chris Jones free kick was headed wide by Matthew Beynon. On 59 minutes the Ferry had a goal disallowed for offside, a Mark Jones header was goalbound but in trying to make sure an offside Luke Bowen helped it in. Lido regained the lead on 63 minutes when Sean Hanbury picked up a loose clearance and slotted the ball past McFenton. Sam Baker was forced off with an injury and was replaced by Michael McCalmon who was making his first appearance from the bench. Cameron Berry fired in a shot which whistled just past the post as the Ferry looked for the equaliser. Mark Jones then was unable to direct a free header and it went wide then into the last 10 minutes and he had another opportunity but was denied by a superb block by Matthew Beynon, the ball going out for a corner. Taylor Evans replaced Owen Williams and Callum Dougal another making a first appearance off the bench replaced Ioan Evans. There were 6 minutes of added time which Lido negotiated successfully for another important win.

This was our best performance of the season and our biggest win. From the second minute free kick by Chris Jones to the final whistle we gave an assured performance and were clearly the better side. We took the lead in the second minute, Chris Jones with a 25 yard free kick lacked power but it completely deceived the Celtic keeper, hit the post and went in. Ben Keen should have made it 2-0 on 4 minutes when following a corner his left footed shot hit the crossbar. Celtic had a half chance on 14 minutes when they picked up a loose ball and crossed the ball to the far post but their attacker was unable to make contact. We went two up on 16 minutes, Liam Griffiths played the ball forward for Sean Hanbury on the left side of the area, he swivelled and shot over the keeper and into the net. Chris Jones made it 3-0 on 25 minutes from another free kick from a similar position to his first. This time he drove the ball hard and low past the wall and just inside the post. On 35 minutes Ioan Evans who was enjoying plenty of the ball and had the beating of his defender crossed the ball for Liam Griffiths but his header hit the crossbar and went out for a goal kick. Celtic’s only chance of getting back into the game was to score an early goal in the second half. They had an opportunity on 51 minutes when they shot from the penalty spot area only for Aaron Jones to make a fine save. We sealed the result on 57 minutes following a foul on Liam Griffiths. Chris Jones pinpoint free kick was nodded in by Liam from a couple of yards. He almost scored again on 67 minutes only for the keeper to make a fine diving save. Carlos Indjai netted his first goal since returning following a corner on 74 minutes. A corner was played short and then back to Chris Jones and one again his cross made it easy for Carlos to score. We used all five subs but we still had virtually total control for a vital three points.

The Ladies team beat Coed Duon 3-1 at the Marstons Stadium this afternoon. They went behind on 7 minutes and just before the interval Bryanna Demery missed a penalty. Georgia Thorne scored straight after half time, Megan Jones scored on 74 minutes to put them ahead and Zoe Parfitt secured the three points with a goal on 84 minutes

On a bitterly cold night the game ended at one a piece with two superb strikes for the goals. Lido had the first opportunity on 6 minutes when Sean Hanbury took a free kick from distance and forced keeper Cameron Clarke into a great save parrying the ball clear. It wasn’t long before Lido took the lead and what a goal it was from Chris Jones who picked up the ball from distance and fired a bullet into the bottom corner. On 25 minutes following a long throw in from the right Carlos Indjai hit the crossbar with an overhead kick. Lido continued to search for a second goal and on 33 minutes a Sean Hanbury cross found the head of Liam Griffiths but he couldn’t get the contact right and Clarke in goal collected. Approaching half time Cambrian pushed forward in search of the equaliser and Liam Reed cut inside and took a shot from distance but Aaron Jones clawed it comfortably away from danger

An early second half chance for Cambrian as Prosser met a deep free kick but again Aaron Jones got his body behind the ball to smother it. Cambrian eventually found an equaliser on 69 minutes as the Lido defence sat back and watched as Cameron Keetch picked up the ball on the edge of the box and fired home. Approaching the last ten minutes neither side was creating any opportunities of note. With 5 minutes to go Lido had a chance to win it following a defensive error. Ioan Evans was released clear on goal but his shot was well saved by Cameron Clarke. Liam Griffiths picked up the rebound and lined up a shot but was challenged in the process and went down. Referee Nemes waved away Lido appeals for a penalty and the game petered out with the sides sharing the spoils.