OLD GOLD MAKE LIDO PAY AGAIN
CARMARTHEN Town continued their impressive unbeaten run in JD Cymru South with this comprehensive victory over a competitive Afan Lido side.
It came courtesy of a second-half goal blitz that eventually overwhelmed the visiting defence.
The Old Gold began at a frantic pace, putting the Lido goal under immediate pressure.
Matthew Delaney made a strong run along the right, then fired the ball into the penalty area where in quick succession Liam Thomas, Adam John and Tom Dyson had shots blocked either by defenders or goalkeeper Gareth Couch.
Moments later a long pass from Kieran Howard set Jordan Vickers racing to the corner of the area before releasing a fierce drive that Couch managed to turn around the post at full stretch.
Yet the visitors were a threat on the counter-attack and Joshua Webber made a quick break along the left flank, then sent a fine cross into the area where Cameron Harris struck a 15-yard shot that goalkeeper Scott James punched away to safety.
However, the Old Gold quickly regained the initiative. Howard sent a corner into the goalmouth where Scott Tancock timed his arrival perfectly and planted his firm header beyond the reach of Couch, but beyond the far post.
Then on 19 minutes Howard produced a sublime long pass that set Vickers sprinting along the right to reach the corner of the area before dispatching a powerful drive that Couch turned aside at full length.
From the resulting corner, Thomas struck an angled shot that the increasingly busy Couch turned over the bar in spectacular fashion.
Town continued to enjoy the greater share of possession, but as the first half progressed they were unable to penetrate the Lido defence in any meaningful way. Certainly Couch was not seriously tested again during this spell.
Indeed, the only notable goalmouth action arose at the other end of the pitch when Luke McDonald, from near the left touchline, fired a free-kick into the goalmouth only for Cameron Harris to head the ball wide of the post.
After the interval Carmarthen began brightly and put the opposition defence under immediate pressure with a series of sharp raids. And on 52 minutes they were rewarded when Delaney moved smartly infield from the right, then slid the ball into the goalmouth where John fired a crisp volley past Couch and into the roof of the net.
Lido, stung by that setback, wasted a good chance to draw level. Ioan Evans crossed the ball invitingly into the goalmouth only for Jordan Edwards to blaze the ball high over the bar from eight yards.
And that failing became even more costly soon afterwards.
In the 67th minute Delaney sent a fine long pass forward to reach John, who sprinted past his marker and into the area before crisply firing the ball past Couch and into the far corner of the net.
Town, and in particular John, continued to torment the visitors’ defence.
On 75 minutes the lively winger moved infield from the left – passing several bewildered defenders in the process – to reach the penalty area, then slid the ball across to Thomas who turned sharply and from 15 yards struck a low angled drive beyond the keeper’s reach and into the far corner.
As the match moved into added time, the Old Gold completed their second 4-0 defeat of Afan Lido in the league this season when, at the end of a delightful sequence of passing involving several players, Jac Walters slid the ball through to Noah Daley who from close range promptly fired it past Couch.
TEAM: S James; M Delaney; S Tancock; L Surman; T Jones; J Vickers (sub J Walters 83); K Howard (sub J Rickard 79); G Walters; T Dyson; L Thomas (sub N Daley 80); A John.