JD Cymru South league
Afan Lido FC v Ammanford AFC
IT was a rain swept Marston Stadium home of Afan Lido FC that greeted both teams and a hardy set of supporters who braved the awful weather conditions.
Referee Ben Williams made an inspection of Lido’s pitch half an hour before kick off and having bounced and kicked a football across the ground deemed the match on.
The game got under way with both teams having to contend with the driving rain and gale force winds that swept in from the Aberavon sea front.
Players had to quickly adapt to the playing surface.
The Lido settled quicker of the two teams and took the lead after 11 minutes played when Kaid Mohamed crossed the ball into the Ammanford six yard area which was turned into the Ammanford net by striker Sean Hanbury 1-0
Ammanford should have equalised in the 23rd minute when striker Lee Trundle broke free on the right and played a pass to midfielder Mathew Fisher who could not control his shot and the chance went begging.
Three minutes later Ammanford’s pacemen combined to create another golden chance to equalise. Tristan Jenkins played a cross into Gavin Jones whose close range effort looked for all the world as if it was going into the Lido goal net but the ball seemed to stick in the mud on the goalline and was scrambled away to safety.
Half chances were falling to both teams as the art of defending was becoming more difficult as the game progressed. With over half an hour gone Ammanford were awarded a penalty kick and Lee Trundle stepped up to take it. Trundle fired his spot kick towards the goal but Lido Goalkeeper Steven Cann guessed to dive the right way and the ball hit is outstretched legs and rebounded high into the air and out of play to safety.
As the half time whistle went it was Lido with the 1-0 advantage but the visitors Ammanford were left ruing their missed chances.
The second half saw the home side more of a counter attacking force as Ammanford tried to push forward in search of the equaliser.
Lido could have increased their lead but for some off target shooting.On the hour mark Ammanford thought they had their equaliser when striker Lee Trundle controlled the ball, swivelled and shot the ball towards goal but the ball was only half stopped and the ball continued to roll its way to the back of the net but Lido Goalkeeper Cann managed a last ditch grasp of the ball and the ball was stopped agonisingly short of crossing his goal line. Ammanford appealed that the ball had crossed the goal line and the referee looked to his Assistant who confirmed that the ball had not crossed the line.
Ammanford made attacking substitutions by bringing on Andy Robinson, Craig Frater and Bruno Forkouh in an attempt to try and get something from the game.
Lido finally wrapped up the points with four minutes of normal time played when forward Kaid Mohamed latched onto a loose ball and unchallenged he lofted the ball over the Ammanford defence into the net 2-0.
Ammanford tried to push forward but were left frustrated in the end as Lido claimed the victory and ended Ammanford’s winning run.
Ammanford’s attention now turns to JD Welsh Cup action when they take on Ton Pentre at home in Round 2.
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