Llantwit Major 3-0 Afan Lido: second half dominance extends Major’s Cymru South lead
Tom Walters of Llantwit Major in action. Llantwit Major v Pencoed Athletic in the JD Welsh Cup at Windmill Lane on the 4th September 2021. Credit: Lewis Mitchell
Llantwit Major extended their lead at the top of the Cymru South, securing a routine 3-0 win over Afan Lido.
Joint-top scorer in the league Tom Walters took the lead early on, with second half strikes for Josh Jones and Conner Goldsworthy ensuring a victory for the hosts.
Llantwit extend their lead at the top of the JD Cymru South to four points over Pontypridd Town. The win is their tenth of the season an they remain unbeaten in the league.
Afan Lido’s eighth defeat of the league campaign sees them stay in 13th place.
Llantwit took an early lead on a quick break after an Afan Lido corner. They counter-attacked through Jones, who was able to find Walters who coolly put it in the net.
The early goal didn’t break Afan Lido who created some good chances to equalise. The visitors utilised Luke McDonald on the right and he was able to put several positive crosses into the box. One cross found forward Liam Griffiths who put the ball into the back of the net, but fouled keeper Adam Caswell.
Connor Goldsworthy pushed up on the left and aimed a cross towards the far post. Taking no chances, Afan Lido keeper Gareth Couch had to be alert to tip it over the bar.
Lido almost levelled the game as another McDonald cross found Griffiths. Griffiths headed down but it went just wide of the near post.
Llantwit soon had chances to double their lead. Cullen Kinsella forced a decent save from Couch with a long range effort. Minutes later, Josh Jones flashed a shot across the goal.
Lido worked the ball well to find Joshua Webber on the edge of the box. Webber fired a shot at goal that went just wide of the post.
A quick Lido counter attack saw them get a cross into the box. Adam Caswell looked to have caught the ball but it slipped from his grip. A shot came in that was cleared off the line and, when Webber went to fire in the rebound, the flag went up.
Llantwit came out second half and stepped up the pace. Working the ball around the pitch, they found Kinsella whose shot hit the side netting.
From a Llantwit corner Kris Evans saw his side footed effort cleared of the line by Cai Owens.
As Lido committed men forward in the hope of an equaliser, they were punished. Llantwit won the ball inside their half and quickly moved it around the pitch, Walters was found in the box and he played it out to Josh Jones who tapped in after 58 minutes.
Goldsworthy made sure of the win with the third goal. Good work from Kinsella allowed him to set up Rob Jones whose shot was blocked on the line. Keeping the pressure, Major won the ball back with Goldsworthy who fired in from the left.
Llantwit had an opportunity to add a fourth in added time as they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Walters. Walters took the spot kick but it was saved by the legs of Couch.
Llantwit Major: Adam Caswell (G), Dafydd Owen, Conner Goldsworthy, Ben Keen, Jamie Miller, Kristian Evans (Sean Williams 58), Cullen Kinsella (C), Nathan Jones (Jonathan Fletcher 76), Tom Walters, Rob Jones (Kyran Gardner 76), Josh Jones.
Goals: Tom Walters 6, Josh Jones 58, Conner Goldsworthy 67.
Yellow Cards: Kris Evans 37
Afan Lido: Gareth Couch (G), Conor Harris, Jordan Pike, Stephan Morris, Cai Owens (C), Jackson Hall (Matthew Andrews 90), Luke McDonald (Cameron Harris 83), Taylor Evans (Onyekachi Onyenali 90), Liam Griffiths, Harry Davies, Joshua Webber.
Yellow Cards: Liam Griffiths 25,Jackson Hall 67, Jordan Pike 65, Stephan Morris 83.
