Afan Lido Football Club

I feared the worst when I arrived to find that Kim Fisher of Cardiff was tonight's referee, it was he who abandoned the game at Caerleon a couple of seasons ago. He is now a FIFA referee and officiates as a linesman at full internationals.

For 30 minutes he didn't book anyone choosing to speak to the players (mainly Goytre) before his patience was finally broken by Jacob Daley on 31 minutes, sadly for us within a minute he'd evened things up with a yellow card for Chris Pridham, a crucial decision as right on half time Chris had a second yellow and was off. In between Carl Payne had also been booked so we were down to ten men and a goal down. Their goal came after 7 minutes when Richard Ryan found space and gave Mike Lewis no chance. It was Goytre's first real attack as we had had the best of the opening minutes with Nathan White being obstructed right on the edge of the area (no card) but Scott McCoubrey knocked the ball into the wall. Scott then tried his luck from half way when Chris Curtis had raced out of his area to clear but Scott's effort went wide. On 20 minutes Damon Thomas and Nathan White set up Scott McCoubrey but Chris Curtis closed him down the block the shot. Mike Lewis held a Goytre free kick and found Mark Jones, he made ground, cut in and shot but straight at Curtis. Nathan White then made ground down the left, cut in and again Curtis saved the shot. On the half hour from a good position Carl Payne hit a free kick well over the bar. From the goal kick Mark Jones found Scott McCoubrey who shot from 30 yards, it bounced in front of Curtis and hit him full in the face with him knowing nothing about it. Unfortunately at this point the ref took centre stage and started dishing out endless cards with us getting three and Pridham off.

From the second half kick off we played Carl Payne into the area but his shot was blocked. On 51 minutes a Lido free kick was hit low into the area and Nathan White got a touch but again Curtis was on hand to save. Two minutes later we were deservedly level, Scott McCoubrey wide left played the ball to Damon Thomas who shot from just outside the area across the keeper and in. We were only level for 7 minutes when Rhys Williams with all the time in the world to clear hit his clearance against a Goytre attacker and with the defence exposed they exploited it for Jacob Daley to score. We responded well and Scott McCoubrey hit a powerful shot that Curtis could only manage to get a hand on and turn it over the bar. From the corner a Mark Jones thunderbolt hit a defender, then disaster, Scott McCoubrey and a Goytre player were chasing the ball down the touchline and Scott received a straight red for kicking the Goytre player. I haven't made notes of the final third of the game except to say our NINE players took the game to Goytre and if there was any justice in football and after Ireland on Wednesday you know there isn't, then we'd have had at least a point out of this game. The lads gave everything and were still running at the final whistle. We had further cards for Carl Evans, Damon Thomas and Nathan White, perhaps we ought to take lessons from the opposition who seemed to get away with far more than us!

 

Lido side:  
Mike Lewis Scott Hillman Scoot McCoubrey Carl Evans Rhys Williams Daniel Thomas Damon Thomas Chris Pridham Mark Jones Nathan White Carl Payne

 

Subs: 
12 Leigh Shrimpton

14 Chris Latham

5 Craig Baker for Damon Thomas 86

16 Dan Lancey for Rhys Williams 86

17 Corey Thomas for Daniel Thomas 55

 

Yellow cards:
Carl Payne 37 Carl Evans 68  Damon Thomas 78 Nathan White 81 Chris Pridham (32 & 45+1) 

 

Red Card:
Scott McCoubrey 62