AFAN LIDO 5-3 AFC Llwydcoed (League Cup 4th round)

Defenders Scott Hillman and Rhys Williams were unavailable while Mark Jones, Chris Pridham and Shaun Galsworthy were on the subs bench ahead of our Welsh cup tie with GAP Connah's Quay on Saturday and we almost paid the price. With ten minutes to go we were 3-1 down and looking down and out but then Nathan White scored and Mark Jones with an 89th minute penalty sent the game into extra time. Carl Evans was sent off and now misses Saturday's game.
We should have been ahead after 30 seconds, the ball was played through to Robbie Walters who only had the keeper to beat but instead of taking the ball around him he tried to shoot and the keeper blocked it. After 5 minutes we were awarded a free kick 25 yards out, Scott McCoubrey played it short to Damon Thomas and received it back, his cross was cut out but we won a corner which was knocked out for a second. This one was headed out, we played it back in but Robbie Walters was offside. On 8 minutes Llwydcoed had their first sortie into our territory and had a shot on target but Mike Lewis comfortably dealt with it. On 11 minutes we went behind, Llwydcoed won a corner on the left, when the ball came in Jonathan Hood swung at it and sliced it into his own net. We should have been level on the quarter hour following a free kick. Gavin Jones had taken the kick which was headed out to Scott McCoubrey who shot to the keeper's left, he turned the ball behind for a corner. The corner wasn't dealt with and it came to Scott McCoubrey inside the area but he wanted too much time and he scuffed his shot wide. Scott then laid the ball off for Carl Payne who shot from just outside the area but the keeper dived to turn the ball behind for yet another corner. We finally levelled on 21 minutes when Nathan White won the ball on the half way near the touchline. He made ground into the area with defenders chasing him and he shot to the right of the keeper to score a fine individual goal. We should have gone ahead after 26 minutes when Carl Payne won the ball just outside the area and he played a great diagonal ball to the far post, Scott McCoubrey met the ball and somehow from 3 yards put the ball wide. On the half hour Llwydcoed broke with 3 players unmarked on their left, Gavin Jones did well to get back and concede a corner. The corner was knocked in and Gavin defending on the far post managed to knock the ball against Ryan Barry and the ball rebounded into the net to put the visitors ahead again. We continued to win corners and fee kicks around the box without making the best of them. Just before half time Robbie Walters played a square ball that was cut out and set up another Llwydcoed attack but this time they shot at Mike Lewis. In added on time Robbie Walters then played Nathan White in and he cleverly lobbed the keeper as he came out, unfortunately the linesman flagged for offside.
In the early minutes of the second half a Llwydcoed defender seemed to handle the ball in the area but nothing was given. Things became worse for us when we went 3-1 down on 50 minutes, we were clearing the ball out of defence, the ball hit a defender and rebounded to Chris Vardon who was unmarked. Mike Lewis did well to save his initial shot but the ball rebounded to Vardon and with Mike still on the floor he scored with ease. On the hour we had our best chance of a goal when following a free kick which the keeper punched out we played the ball back into the area and Carl Evans headed it to the keeper's left but he dived full length to palm away the goalbound header. On 67 minutes while a substitution was taking place Carl Evans was sent off for comments made to the referee, this really gave us a mountain to climb, two down and now ten men to play the last 23 minutes. Mark Jones had gone on a sub on 61 minutes replacing Scott McCoubrey and he found space on the edge of the area but his shot hit a defender and looped over the bar for yet another corner. We finally reduced the arrears on 80 minutes when a Gavin Jones cross beat everyone in the box but we retrieved it and Mark Jones played Nathan White in, he scored from 10 yards with a right footed shot. With 5 minutes to go we thought we were level when Nathan White scored but once again the linesman's flag ruled it out. The 10 men were certainly looking for an equaliser and in the 90th minute Nathan White was fouled in the area, Mark Jones stepped up to score and send the game into extra time. Mark then put us ahead in the third minute of extra time, Robbie Walters played the ball through and Mark was too strong for the defenders and as the keeper came out he rolled it past him. We had the better of the first period of extra time with Carl Payne almost being played in while we continued to win free kicks and corners. Right on half time Llwydcoed won two corners but Mike Lewis came out to hold the second and relieve the pressure. From the kick off for the second period of extra time Nathan White had two goalbound shots both blocked by the keeper's legs. We finally made the game safe with 5 minutes to go when Robbie Walters on the edge of the area turned and shot past the keeper.
 
Lido side  Mike Lewis  Jonathan Hood  Damon Thomas  Carl Evans  Robert Cockings  Matt Harris  Gavin Jones  Carl Payne  Robbie Walters  Nathan White  Scott McCoubrey
 
12 Shaun Galsworthy
14 Chris Pridham for Matt Harris 75
15 Mark Jones for Scott McCoubrey 61
16 Corey Thomas for Damon Thomas 75
17 Gareth Couch
 
 
Yellow Cards  Damon Thomas 4  Corey Thomas 90+2  Robbie Walters 115
 
Red Card Carl Evans 67
 
Goals  Nathan White 21 and 80  Mark Jones 89 (pen) and 93  Robbie Walters 115

 

Match Report by Peter Reynolds