For the second successive weekend a high wind made playing conditions difficult for both sides. Through balls were overhit on the wind resulting in goalkicks while defending with the wind at your back was a nightmare. With the score still goalless we were refused two penalties, the second the most blatant handball you could see. Just what these officials were looking at I don't know as they must have been the only ones in the ground not to see it. We played with the wind at our backs in the first half and again we made a poor start. We failed to put a decidedly dodgy keeper under any pressure and no-one seemed to want to shoot with a strong wind behind them. On 8 minutes Steve Parry threw long into the box and it caused panic but we failed to capitalise on this. We won a corner Michael Waters cross went across the box with no-one getting a touch. Another corner found Steve Cox who headed on to Karl Lewis but his header was straight at the keeper. Steve Davies combined with Justin Williams who crossed to Karl Lewis but this time his header was wide. Ian Jones fed Steve Cox who shot just wide of the post. Shaun Morgan then conceded two free kicks, the first inside the Cwmbran half the second 25 yards out. Luckily for us Cwmbran were caught offside when well placed. On 20 minutes Kieran Howells lost the ball in midfield the attacker went around Leon Cosker but Dan Williams got back to clear the ball a couple of yards short of the line. We had our best chance after 25 minutes when Dan Williams took a free kick on half way and the keeper fumbled it, it went to Ian Jones whose shot hit the crossbar with the ref giving us a corner which was cleared. Steve Parry launched the ball into the box from 40 yards which the keeper turned over for a corner, the ball was partially cleared but found Shaun Morgan who shot first time but wide of the target. On the half hour a free kick was played in to Steve Cox who chested it down for Ian Jones, Ian's shot hit a defender and flew over the crossbar. Again there was confusion in the area and our first shout for handball. We then lost the ball and were light at the back but luckily for us the Cwmbran striker shot wide. After 38 minutes we had our second shout for handball, we had another corner which Michael Waters crossed in the defender's arm was at a ninety degree angle to the ground stopping the ball going in, players stopped then realised the whistle hadn't gone. We finally scored on 41 minutes when from another corner the ball went back to Michael Waters his cross found Steve Cox who headed in through a crowd of players. Just before half time Michael went through the middle and shot from 25 yards with the keeper making a good save at the expense of yet another corner. Three minutes into the second half Ian Jones played the ball into Kieran Howells but he just couldn't get enough of a touch on it to beat the keeper. With Cwmbran now having the elements in their favour it was going to be a backs to the wall job in the second half. They found the same problems, overhitting through balls and shots sailing over the bar. One through ball the ref decided that Steve Parry had handled 25 yards out in front of goal. The free kick sailed way over the bar, with a quarter of an hour to go Justin Williams just got a touch to deflect the ball from the attacker but we were under increasing pressure with the rain now lashing down. We broke the monotony of Cwmbran attacks when Steve Davie broke played it to Ian Jones who won a corner. Michael Waters took it and the ball was headed back to him, Michael crossed it back in but a defender headed clear. With 10 minutes to go Cwmbran had a free kick which was partially cleared a shot came in but sailed over the bar. On 82 minutes they equalised, they made ground down the right dragging everyone over. They switched it left to their 9 who was unmarked and from the edge of the area he shot hitting the underside of the crossbar before settling in the back of the net. Cwmbran were now looking for a winner but right at the end we had a free kick 25 yards out which Michael Waters took but he failed to put them under pressure with the defence clearing his kick.

Lido side

Leon Cosker Justin Williams Steve Parry Dan Williams Shaun Morgan Kieran Howells Steve Davies Karl Lewis Ian Jones Steve Cox Michael Waters 

Subs 
12 Damon Thomas for Dan Williams 56 
14 Corey Thomas 
15 Luke Borrelli 
16 Shaun Best for Ian Jones 81 
17 Rory McCreesh

Attendance:75

Report by Peter Reynolds.