Ammanford came from behind to secure victory against a resilient ten-man Afan Lido side.
Trailing at the break, a hat-trick from Callum Thomas and a goal apiece for Lewis Reed and Morgan Clarke ensured the Black and Whites earned their first win of the new calendar year.
It was the visitors who had the best chance in the early exchanges. Lido’s new signing and former Ammanford player, Francesco Sofiu, cut inside and curled an effort that required a fine fingertip save from Luke Martin.
Despite a couple of long-range efforts from Adam John, Ammanford failed to heed the attacking warning signs, and Lido took the lead halfway through the opening period. A cross from the right flank was headed into the back of the net by the Reds’ Cory Woods, giving them the initiative.
Lido continued to press, but five minutes before the break, they were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Ben Haines handled the ball outside his area. Veteran stopper Gareth Couch came on to replace him and was nearly called into action when Ammanford created a pair of chances before the interval.
Adam Orme fired inches over the bar from the edge of the area, and Matthew Fisher went even closer, striking the post as Ammanford went into the break trailing.
As expected, with the advantage of an extra player, Ammanford dominated possession in the second half, though Lido remained a very credible threat on the counter-attack. Tristan Jenkins and Fisher went close with efforts, while Lewis Reed failed to level the score when his header was superbly stopped by Couch.
The breakthrough finally came for top scorer Reed halfway through the second half. Adam John’s corner from the left-hand side was flicked on at the near post, levelling the scores.
Wyn Thomas’s men took the lead with just under twenty minutes to play. Reed played in substitute Callum Thomas, who fired home from close range despite fierce protests from the visiting defence for an offside flag.
The goal broke Lido’s resistance after they had stubbornly repelled Ammanford’s attacks for much of the second half. With the Reds chasing the game, space opened up for Ammanford, who exploited it ruthlessly by scoring three goals in the final ten minutes.
Thomas bagged his second with a fantastic curling effort into the top corner following excellent work by Jenkins down the left.
The fourth goal came from another substitute, Morgan Clarke. Reed broke Lido’s high offside trap on the halfway line and bore down on goal. With defenders committed forward, Reed unselfishly squared the ball to Clarke, who slotted home from ten yards.
The final flourish came from the penalty spot. Regular taker Reed presented the ball to Callum Thomas, giving him the chance to complete his hat-trick. Thomas duly obliged, smashing his shot into the bottom corner to the keeper’s right.
The victory moves Ammanford six points clear of Lido and into tenth position in the JD Cymru South.
_____________________________________________________________
Daeth Rhydaman o’r tu ôl i sicrhau buddugoliaeth yn erbyn y deg dyn o Afan Lido ar y Faes Hamdden.
Ar ei hôl hi ar yr egwyl, fe wnaeth hat-tric gan Callum Thomas a gôl yr un gan Lewis Reed a Morgan Clarke sicrhau bod y Du a Gwynion wedi sicirhau eu fuddugoliaeth gyntaf o’r flwyddyn newydd.
Cafodd Afan Lido y cyfle gorau yn gynnar yn y gêm. Trosglwyddiad newydd Lido a chyn-chwaraewr Rhydaman, Francesco Sofiu, dorrodd i mewn cyn anelu ergyd a orfododd arbediad gwych â blaen bysedd gan Luke Martin.
Er gwaethaf ychydig o ergydion o bell gan Adam John, methodd Rhydaman ag ymateb i’r rhybuddion ymosodol, a chymerodd Lido’r blaen tua hanner ffordd drwy’r cyfnod agoriadol. Fe wasgodd croesiad o’r asgell dde gan Cory Woods i gefn y rhwyd.
Parhaodd Lido i bwyso, ond bum munud cyn yr egwyl, daeth problem i nhw wrth i gôl-geidwad Ben Haines gael ei anfon o’r cae am llawio’r bêl y tu allan i’w cwrt.
Daeth y gôl-geidwad profiadol Gareth Couch i mewn yn ei le, a bron a chael ei alw i weithredu wrth i Rhydaman greu dwy gyfle cyn diwedd yr hanner.
Aeth Adam Orme yn agos iawn o bellter, a Matthew Fisher hyd yn oed yn agosach, gan daro’r postyn.
Fel yr oedd disgwyl, gyda mantais o chwaraewr ychwanegol, Rhydaman oedd yn rheoli meddiant yn yr ail hanner, er bod Lido yn dal yn fygythiad peryglus ar y gwrthymosodiad. Daeth Tristan Jenkins a Fisher yn agos â’u hymdrechion, tra na lwyddodd Reed i gyfartalu gyda pheniad a gafodd ei arbed yn rhagorol gan Couch.
Ond or diwedd, fe ddaeth y gol a wnaeth unioni’r sgor trwy prif ymosodwr Reed, hanner ffordd drwy’r ail hanner. Fe beniodd gornel John o’r chwith i wneud y sgor yn gyfartal.
Daeth tîm Wyn Thomas o flaen gyda llai nag ugain munud i’w chwarae. Fe chwaraeodd Reed y bêl i Callum Thomas, a sgoriodd o agos er gwaethaf protestiadau ffyrnig am camsefyll gan Lido.
Wedi hynny, wrth i’r Cochion ymosod, agorodd gwagle ar draws y cae i Rhydaman, a gwnaethant fanteisio gyda thair gôl yn y deg munud olaf.
Cipiodd Thomas ei ail gyda phêl wedi’i chrimani’r bel i’r gornel uchaf y rhwyd wedi gwaith rhagorol gan Jenkins ar yr asgell chwith.
Sgoriodd Morgan Clarke’r bedwaredd gôl ar ôl i Reed dorri’r trap camsefyll y gwrthwynebwyr a sgwario’r bêl yn ddiymhongar i Clarke, a dorrodd i mewn o ddeg llath.
Daeth y trydedd gôl i Thomas gyda phwyntiad o’r smotyn. Rhoddodd Reed y bêl iddo, gan ganiatau iddo gwblhau ei het-drîc, a tharo’r gic yn isel i’r cornel dde i’r gôl-geidwad.
Mae’r fuddugoliaeth yn symud Ammanford chwe phwynt yn glir o Lido ac i’r degfed safle yn y JD Cymru South.
