Afan Lido Football Club

Once again we rose to the challenge of playing a Premier League side and we were desperately unlucky to lose by two goals in extra time. Just before half time we lost Chris Pridham to injury, Chris was having an immense game, then on 76 minutes we lost Shaun Galsworthy and with 6 minutes of extra time to go we also lost Robert Cockings. Young James McEvoy replaced Chris, Luke Borrelli replaced Shaun with Carl Payne dropping into the back line and Ellis Harris made his first senior appearance to replace Robert.

We kicked off and immediately took the game to Bala, Scott McCoubrey made ground and shot over the bar from outside the area. Scott then found Nathan White wide left, he cut inside and found Mark Jones, his shot hit a defender and rebounded to Mark who shot again but straight at the keeper. Gavin Jones then made ground through the middle but lost possession when he overran the ball 30 yards out. Bala finally got into the game via a free kick some 30 yards out which we headed clear. On 9 minutes Scott McCoubrey picked up a loose ball 35 yards out, made ground before shooting over the crossbar. Bala's first real chance came after 19 minutes when we gave the ball away on half way, they attacked and Mike Lewis found himself in a one on one situation luckily for us Ricky Evans attempt to lob Mike drifted wide of the post. We responded to this and the ball was played wide to Mark Jones who cut inside but once again his shot was blocked but we won a free kick when Carl Payne was fouled. They cleared the free kick and broke quickly but one of their front runners was caught offside. Just before the half hour Nathan White had a shot blocked and they again cleared their lines and won a throw level with our area but Mike Lewis came out to catch the ball and relieve the danger. Mark Jones was then blatantly tripped but unfortunately the referee failed to spot it!

On 35 minutes we won a corner right side which Scott McCoubrey hit deep beyond the far post, the keeper just got a touch ahead of Scott Hillman to set up a corner on the other side which they cleared. Again we found Mark Jones out wide, he cut in but again he shot at the keeper, then from a short corner Corey Thomas played the ball into the box but Scott Hillman's header went just wide. On 41 minutes Mike Lewis made a superb save when the ball hit Shaun Galsworthy and was heading just inside the post. Mike dived full length to his right to turn the ball behind for a corner. In added on time in the first half we produced some of the best football of the game with Gavin Jones setting up namesake Mark but once again his header was at the keeper. After 51 minutes Mike Lewis played a long ball to Nathan White, he cut inside and set up Mark Jones but he shot over the bar. After we broke up a Bala attack the ball was played to Mark Jones on half way, he slipped the ball to Gavin Jones who made ground towards the area, cut in and shot just wide of the far post. Bala then attacked and Mike Lewis made another superb save, the striker was offside but Mike wasn't to know. We won a free kick 25 yards out but Scott McCoubrey's shot hit the wall and was cleared, Bala attacked down their left and won a corner which was hit long, Mike Lewis was unable to reach the ball and they headed the ball goalwards but Gavin Jones headed the ball off the line. We were awarded another free kick on half way the ball was played forward to Carl Payne who headed the ball across the box, Gavin Jones reacted first but only succeeded in shooting over the bar.

With 7 minutes to go Bala attacked down their left and the ball was crossed across the face of the goal but no-one was up to score, the ball was then played in from the right but Mike Lewis again held the header. Bala were now looking to finish us off in ordinary time and again Mike made a good save, he was injured in the process but recovered to punch the corner away. Having defended deeply we managed to clear our lines and Mark Jones played the ball forward to Nathan White, he played the ball to Gavin Jones but once again he shot over the bar. Gavin Jones and Luke Borrelli combined inside their area and Luke laid the ball back to James McEvoy, although he was wrong footed he managed to get a shot in which again went just over the bar. In the dying seconds of normal time Mark Jones was blatantly elbowed in the centre circle, the ref gave us a free kick, spoke to the culprit who didn't even get a yellow card never mind the red he deserved. Bala eventually took the lead on 98 minutes, ironically from one of our free kicks. Mike Lewis knocked the ball into the Bala half, their defender headed it forward and they went into the area, around Mike and squared the ball for substitute Osian Jones to score from a couple of yards. We responded well to this disappointment and Nathan White had a shot saved, we won a couple of corners and Scott McCoubrey had a shot blocked before Bala attacked and Scott Hillman brilliantly blocked a Ross Jeffries effort  just before the break.

We again showed Bala how to pass the ball around the field but they were packing their defence and Scott McCoubrey had another shot blocked. Substitute Neil Fisher was played in and was one on one with Mike Lewis but Mike stood tall and saved his shot, the ball went back to him but we had recovered and cleared the ball. With 6 minutes to go we picked up our first booking when Robert Cockings fouled a Bala player, he was injured in the challenge so young Ellis Harris came on to make his senior debut. With two minutes to go he shot from 25 yards, it was on target but lacked the power to beat the keeper. There was still time for us to be awarded a free kick after Mark Jones was fouled (again!), Mark took the kick but once again it was charged down, Bala cleared the ball to substitute Neil Fisher, he shot from the edge of the area, the ball hit the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net.

Lido side:
Mike Lewis, Robert Cockings, Corey Thomas, Scott Hillman, Shaun Galsworthy, Carl Payne, Gavin Jones, Chris Pridham, Mark Jones, Nathan White, Scott McCoubrey.

Subs:
12 James McEvoy for Chris Pridham 46
14 Luke Borrelli for Shaun Galsworthy 76
15 Ellis Harris for Robert Cockings 114
17 Vince Lewis
Booking Robert Cockings 114.

Match Report by Peter Reynolds