Afan Lido Football Club

We deservedly took our place in the fourth round of the Welsh Cup after overcoming Caerau Ely at Cwrt Yr Ala.

This was the first time we've played them since records began and until match referee Geoff Martin was injured this looked a walk in the park.  For some reason when he was replaced it seemed to inspire Caerau and they scored from a penalty right on half time.

Gavin Jones made the first inroads into the Caerau defence but his cross was well held under pressure by their keeper. We got the early goal we needed when Mark Jones picked up the ball in the centre circle and played it wide to Scott McCoubrey who made ground and from just inside the area he shot wide of the keeper to put us in the driving seat. There was little response from the home side with a couple of free kicks aimlessly going to Mike Lewis. On 20 minutes we could have gone two up when Gavin Jones found Mark Jones on half way, he made ground and played the ball behind Scott McCoubrey but Craig Baker picked it up but in a good position lost the ball. We should have been two up on 22 minutes when Scott Hillman found Scott McCoubrey who found Mark Jones but his shot lacked power and was easily saved. On the half hour Caerau should have equalised, they attacked down their right and we failed to deal with it, Mike Lewis made an excellent save and somehow we managed to scramble the ball away. On 35 minutes the ref was injured but continued for a while before handing over to his senior linesman Richard Hales.
Caerau Ely seemed inspired by this change and although there were only minutes to go to the interval we ended up with two bookings, the second resulting in a penalty from which Jermaine Thomas scored.

Everyone expected Caerau to come out with all guns blazing but for some reason they didn't, we took the game to them and on the hour Craig Baker scored directly from a free kick some 25 yards out. Mark Jones had already had one effort cleared off the line at this point  and he almost made it three with 25 minutes to go when he received the ball from Gavin Jones beat the defender but shot wide of the far post. With just under 20 minutes to go Mark Jones was again played in but he shot against the post, the rebound was picked up by Nathan White but he shot way over the bar. Caerau at last pushed forward but Mike Lewis punched clear a cross and then held a long distance shot. Despite Caerau now trying to put pressure on us the defence was holding firm. In the last few minutes we kept the ball in the Caerau half and Nathan White again shot over the bar, the last action of the game, Caerau won a free kick on the half way which they knocked forward but we cleared with ease and the final whistle went.

 

Lido side  Mike Lewis  Rhys Williams  Scott Hillman  Carl Evans  Shaun Galsworthy  Corey Thomas  Craig Baker  Chris Pridham  Mark Jones  Scott McCoubrey  Gavin Jones

 

Subs  all for injuries

 

12 Dan Lancey for Gavin Jones 77

14 Leigh Shrimpton for Shaun Galsworthy 70

15 Vince Lewis

17 Nathan White for Corey Thomas 54

 

Scorers  Scott McCoubrey 12 and Carl Baker 60

 

Bookings  Scott Hillman 44  Carl Evans 45 + 2 Gavin Jones 52