The Ladies team picked up their first away win yesterday with a hard fought game at Aberaman. They got off to a great start with Rosie Morrisey scoring after 2 minutes. Aberaman levelled on 4 minutes but Georgia Thorne (10) and Zoe Parfit 13 minutes put the girls in the driving seat. However Aberaman didn’t lie down and they reduced the arrears on 17 minutes and then they levelled the scoring on 34 minutes. Zoe Parfitt then stepped up with two second half goals to complete her hat trick before Aberaman scored a late goal.

The reserves won an entertaining top of the table clash at Ammanford 3-1 with two goals from Josh Webber and the opening goal from Luke McDonald who was celebrating his 18th birthday. Lido had the better of the first half exchanges but couldn’t turn possession into goals. Rory Healey shot wide from a corner. Ammanford headed a free kick over the bar in a rare raid into Lido territory and on 27 minutes Louie Cirotto got down well to save a shot. Ioan Evans beat several players in a positive attack but as he reached the area he lost the ball and the attack fizzled out. On the half hour a good move involving several players saw Cameron Harris head over the bar. The first goal wasn’t long in coming after that as Jordan Pike played the ball down the line for Josh Webber. Luke McDonald met his cross and his powerful shot gave the keeper no chance to give us a deserved lead. Two minutes later (36 ) Josh Webber doubled the lead when he cut in from the left and fired a low shot past the keeper. Ammanford tried to respond but Steve Morris broke up the attack and set up another Lido attack. Ammanford were awarded a free kick which was headed clear but they picked up the loose ball and tried a long distance shot which went over the crossbar. Ioan Evans had another run at the Ammanford defence in added time but his shot went over the bar.In the early seconds of the second half Cameron Harris went on a good run and found Josh Webber who made ground into the box but the keeper saved his shot. Then a reversal of the first half Ammanford took charge of the second and put the Lido defence under pressure.  In a rare break Luke McDonald fed Harry Davies who tried a chip from the right side of the area but it just missed the far post with the keeper beaten. From the resultant goal kick Ammanford played the ball forward and scored with a low shot from wide out which beat everyone. Ammanford put on the pressure but Lido defended well combined to some poor shooting kept the score at 2-1. Josh Webber had another opportunity to extend the lead but under pressure shot just wide. With 10 minutes to go Cameron Harris again headed over the bar from a free kick. Josh Webber settled the result on 87 minutes when he drifted in from wide left and curled the ball around the keeper into the far corner.  Ammanford didn’t give up though and Louie Cirotto did well to punch the ball clear following a corner just ahead of the final whistle.

Going to the unbeaten league leaders is a daunting task, going there with a side depleted by Covid and injuries is difficult to say the least. Although we lost, the side can hold their heads up by a stirring performance especially in the first half when we created several opportunities.

We went behind in the fifth minute following a Lido corner. It was cleared to the half way and they had two speedy forwards who sped towards the goal, Lido were outnumbered and conceded. Lido almost equalised within seconds, a ball into the box by Connor Harris was headed inches wide by Liam Griffiths. Gareth Couch was called into action on ten minutes, firstly punching clear a corner then saving the incoming shot. On twenty minutes Jackson Hall found Taylor Evans who in turn fed Liam McDonald. His ball into the box was headed just wide by Liam Griffiths. Twenty three minutes saw Taylor Evans in space in the area but he fired over the bar. Josh Webber beat a couple of players but he lost the ball as he entered the penalty area. On thirty three minutes a quick Lido attack saw Taylor Evans again shoot over the bar. Just before the interval the Llantwit keeper fumbled the ball but Lido were unable to take advantage and another chance went begging. The next goal was to be crucial in the game and it was the home side who scored it on fifty eight minutes, once again it was from a Lido corner, a quick break and a tap in from a left wing cross. This settled down Llantwit as there were signs of frustration in their game. The result was settled in the sixty seventh minute, Connor Harris cleared the ball off the line but played it to a Llantwit player whose shot took a deflection giving Gareth Couch no chance. The seventy first minute summed up our day, a great move set up Josh Webber who blazed his shot over the bar when completely unmarked in the box. Llantwit played out the remaining minutes and were awarded a penalty in added on time. For the second match running Gareth Couch made the save.

Lido started well Jordan Edwards pinged a cross into the box for Evans to meet with his head but Rano got down well to save. Ammanford minute but it was flagged offside. We had another let off on nine minutes when Ammanford twice hit the post, Firstly Fisher shot from distance which evaded Couch but rebounded off the post to Jenkins. His follow-up deflected off Couch but again rattled the woodwork and bounced clear. Lido were forced into an early substitution when Samm Harrison limped off to be replaced by Taylor Evans. Ammanford were starting to create a series of chances  putting pressure on the Lido defence and asserting territorial dominance in the Lido half. However Lido started exerting pressure of their own as they win three corners in a row. On 32 minutes Ioan Evans went down in the area under a challenge but referee Ben Williams ignored the appeals.

Ioan was then booked for a late challenge on Matthew Fisher. Fisher and Dillon are subsequently booked for retaliation as the incident sparked a melee in the middle of the park. On 41 minutes  Ammanford were awarded a soft penalty but Couchie was the hero saving Trundle’s spot kick which he placed to the bottom right and Couch made a superb save to turn it around the post. The drama wasn’t over as a minute later Lido were awarded a penalty as Edwards drove into the box and was brought down. Jordan got up and coolly slotted past the Ammanford keeper. There was another chance for Lido as Ioan Evans shot but Rano in goal managed to block the shot.

The second half started scrappily with neither side able to get their foot on the ball and dictate play. However, the Lido created a handful of chances with both Jordan Edwards and Ioan Evans going close. On 58 minutes Leon Britton misplaced a back pass straight into the path of Jordan Edwards but Rano closed down his shot which then found Harry Davies whose rebound was deflected just over the bar. On the hour Lido replaced Liam Griffiths with Josh Webber as Ammanford pushed forward and once again there was a great save from Couch. Fisher tried to guide a low shot goalwards from the edge of the box and Couch got down to tip it wide. Ammanford equalised on 67 minutes from a corner as Euros Griffiths rose above the defence to head home. Worse was to follow as on 70 minutes Ioan Evans went down in the box but the referee adjudged it to have been a dive and showed Evans the red card.  Despite being down to 10 men Lido pushed forward and were unlucky when Edwards beat his defender and squeezed a shot past Rano which looked to be rolling in but it rebounded off the far post and wriggled clear. Minutes later in a virtual repeat Lido went back into the lead, Edwards released Josh Webber clear and he placed his shot into the bottom corner. The lads battled hard and it was going to be a tough ten minutes weathering the inevitable storm. Jordan Edwards went off injured to be replaced by Luke McDonald, with 3 minutes of normal time to go there was another save from Couch as he got down low to turn a shot behind. We held on with some heroic defending for a welcome 3 points.

Despite a dominant start where the Reserves could have been three up early on they were hanging on for a point at the end in a reversal of form. Michael McCalmon had a shot saved by the keeper’s feet inside the first 45 seconds of the game. He wasn’t to be denied though as he scored in the third minute. Llanelli responded with a free kick just outside the area that hit the wall and went out for a corner which saw a Llanelli player shoot wide. On ten minutes good link up play between Tian Mills and Luke McDonald saw the ball played to Michael McCalmon but he couldn’t keep his shot down and it went out for a goal kick. Then a great ball from Liam McDonald found Liam Griffiths but again the keeper saved with his feet. Llanelli drew level when they scored with a right footed shot from outside the area. Play after this evened up with neither side able to create a goalscoring chance until Liam Griffiths was fouled in the area for Luke McDonald to score from the spot and restore the lead just before the interval. Lido had the first opportunity of the second half but Harry Davies shot wide. On the hour a left wing cross found Harry Davies in space but he headed wide. Taylor Evans broke up a Llanelli attack and set up a chance for Liam Griffiths but his header was straight at the keeper. Lido increased their lead on 62 minutes when following a short free kick on the edge of the area Michael McCalmon scored, his shot going in off the post. Liam Griffiths then headed a corner behind as Lido looked for a fourth goal. As the game entered the final twenty minutes Llanelli started to get the upper hand in midfield and the pulled a goal back on 78 minutes. Worse was to come as a shot was fumbled by Louie Cirotto and as he dived forward to recover the ball he was kicked by a Llanelli attacker. The ball ran loose and with the referee not blowing up Llanelli equalised. Llanelli now pushed forward looking for a winner but despite some close shaves the game ended all square.

The Reserves lost their 100% record in a disappointing performance against Pontardawe. Errors at both ends of the field cost them dearly while their passing wasn’t up to the required standard.

Lido took the lead on 18 minutes when Luke McDonald confidently converted a penalty but this only inspired Pontardawe even more. Toby Link-Jones did extremely well to head clear a dangerous free kick as the pressure built. Pontardawe equalised on 37 minutes when a through ball split the Lido defence for Tomos Blizzard to run through and slot the ball past Steffan Rogers. Just before half time Samm Harrison had the chance to restore the lead when he intercepted a clearance but after driving into the penalty area he shot wide.

Pontardawe took the lead through Iwan McNab on 54 minutes. The ball had been played back to Steffan Rogers but his clearance kick was poor going straight to McNab who shot past the diving Rogers. Pontardawe increased their lead on 66 minutes when Sam Demery scored after Steffan Rogers failed to cut out a cross.  Lido had just used two substitutes but the third goal went in before either touched the ball. Lido now had a mountain to climb and Gareth Couch replaced Steffan Rogers in goal. Substitute Jordan Edwards was unlucky heading a free kick inches wide then the Ponty keeper lost the ball under pressure but the defence managed to clear for a corner which not for the first time was much too long. Jordan Edwards headed wide from a couple of yards when it seemed easier to score and a great run and cross from Michael McCalmon was just too long for anyone to get a touch. As Lido continued to press Matthew Andrews turned in a free kick only to be given offside. That just about summed up the night.