west end 2-1 AFAN LIDO


This was my first visit to West End's ground and like Ely Rangers it's a postage stamp but unlike Ely Rangers it's not a bowling green of a pitch. There was little constructive football, both sides hitting the ball long something that doesn't suit our game. The pitch is so short that when Mike Lewis kicked the ball out it regularly landed near the penalty spot in the West End penalty area. We scored after 20 minutes, ironically from a Lewis kick out but one from the ground not the hand. It reached Mark Jones who got to the ball ahead of the keeper and shot from just inside the box into the empty net. Three minutes later we played Shaun Morgan in, he got into the box but instead of shooting he tried to square the ball to Mark Jones but only found a defender and a golden opportunity for 2-0 was squandered. Jonathan Hood then played Nathan White in, from just inside the area he shot across the keeper but the ball went just outside the far post. At this point a second goal looked on the cards and with it three points but on the half hour Jonathan Hood failed to head a long high ball from deep in the West End half clear, he allowed it to bounce and compounded the error by kicking the ball into the only attacker anywhere near. Kieron Cullen (the attacker) then ran on to knock the ball past Mike Lewis to level the scores. Carl Payne then found Corey Thomas in the West End penalty area but the keeper saved his shot. We did get the ball in the net on 35 minutes but Shaun Morgan had already (correctly) been flagged offside. 
In the second half Nathan White must have been flagged offside a dozen times, with his pace he doesn't need to be offside but sometimes his pace also makes it look as though he's offside when he's not. I can't say that's the case in this game as it was at the opposite end of the ground from where I was. Mark Jones was also flagged offside and crucially Damon Thomas scored with 20 minutes to go and again was flagged offside while Corey Thomas took a corner which was deemed to have gone out for a goal kick before coming back into play. So it wasn't our night attacking that end of the field! Then with 13 minutes to go West End took a throw in to the near post, it was headed across goal and Mike Lewis failed to take a routine catch and the ball appeared to hit Cullen and trickle into the net for what turned out to be the winner. It's now roll the sleeves up time and Saturday's game at Cambrian now takes on mega proportions, hopefully the players will be aware of it and produce the goods on the day. 
 
Lido side Mike Lewis Jonathan Hood Corey Thomas Scott Hillman Shaun Galsworthy Shaun Morgan Carl Payne Chris Pridham Mark Jones Nathan White Damon Thomas 
 
Subs 12 Robert Cockings for Shaun Morgan 81 15 James McEvoy 16 Scott McCoubrey for Damon Thomas 81 17 Gavin Jones for Shaun Galsworthy 46 
 
Bookings Scott Hillman 85 and Jonathan Hood 92 
 
Goal Mark Jones 20

View league table

Match Report by Peter Reynolds