Afan Lido 1 Llanelli 3

Despite the handicap of playing with only ten men for over an hour of the game following the dismissal of Craig Moses, the Reds more than matched their opponents and were comfortable winners at the close, a result which elevates them to eighth place in the Conference, five points behind Bala Town who have played a game less.

The result also means that the home side are almost certainly destined to be playing in the Welsh League next season, although they were the first to threaten with Craig Morris being tested in the opening stages by a well struck shot from Chris Hartland which he diverted to safety.

The visitors gradually asserted themselves and were ahead in the 14th minute from a well-taken corner by Craig Williams which he whipped into the goalmouth, allowing Moses the comparatively simple task of steering the ball home from point blank range. The Reds striker then headed just the wrong side of the upright when he met a Jack McKenna cross, and the home goal came under further pressure when a Ryan Batley delivery led to Moses having the initial chance but which eventually fell to McKenna and his effort deflected somewhat fortuitously into the hands of goalkeeper Kristian Rogers

A corner to the Lido led to a scramble in the Reds box and Mark Crutch met a loose ball but drove it narrowly wide of the goal. On 28 minutes the visitors were dealt a blow by the dismissal of Moses for a challenge on Anthony Rawlings which referee Bryn Markham-Jones decided deserved a red card, and with over an hour of the game remaining they could well have had their resolve shaken.

Their opponents did, in fact, have a great chance of levelling matters when Simon Prangley had a clear sight of goal, but sliced his final shot wide when well placed. The Reds ended the first half on the offensive with Batley directing his header just off target from an Adam Davies free kick, and then came even closer to doubling the lead early in the second period when Alex Evans was fractionally away from heading in a cross into the goalmouth.

On 65 minutes they did get a breakthrough when a Jordan Smith free kick struck low towards the goal saw Rogers make a hash of keeping it out, allowing the ball to squeeze under his body just inside the post. Morris punched out a header by Hartland when the hosts countered, and the Reds keeper also had to be alert to clutch safely a deflected shot by Crutch at the foot of the upright.

Nicky Holland who had come on to replace Williams forced Rogers to divert around his fierce shot on target, while Jeff White failed to find the net when the Lido keeper came off his line to attempt and avert the danger. With the game in stoppage time, there were a further two goals, one for each side, with Hartland reducing the deficit when he cut in from the right before firing past Morris, but the Reds had the final say through McKenna who finished off a surging run with a well struck shot to clinch the win and three more precious points.

Newtown are the visitors to Stebonheath on Saturday with a 2.30 p.m. kick off.

MATCH STATS – AFAN LIDO v LLANELLI.

AFAN LIDO; Rogers; Crutch; K. James; A. James (Hudson, 61); Hartland; Prangley; Rawlings; Howard; Phillips © (Hall, 84); Borrelli; Graves (Gammond, 68; Subs. not used; Evans; Thompson; Latham; McCreesh (GK).

LLANELLI; Morris ©; Davies; Evans; Hartshorn; Batley; Blain; Smith; McKenna Moses; White; Williams (Holland, 78); Subs. not used; Barnard; Secker; Lloyd; Jones (GK).

SCORERS; Afan Lido – Hartland, 90+1.

Llanelli – Moses,14; Smith, 65; McKenna, 90+3.

YELLOW CARD; Llanelli – Davies.

RED CARD; Llanelli – Moses.

REFEREE; Bryn Marham-Jones (Swansea).

ATTENDANCE; 176.