For a long period it appeared that this game would be a mirror image of their August encounter with the home side holding a single goal advantage for over an hour. Then with only four minutes left Port made the three points safe with the best move of the match. Carl Owen, who despite his goal drought, proved what a vital player he is with a great counter attack from his own half, and then taking advantage of Mark Williams' intelligent dummy run to the left, to open up the Lido defence with a precision pass into the box where super-sub Tony Williams made the most of a glorious opportunity drilling a low shot past Brian Thomas.

Despite the disappointing away defeat at Carmarthen the home side started brightly and spent the first ten minutes encamped in the Lido half. When Lido eventually broke out nightmare memories of Belle Vue were to the fore as a McGuigan clearance struck an attacker but fortunately this time round it bounced to safety. As early as the 11th minute referee Mike Jones of Wrexham started dishing out the yellow cards and though this site rarely makes adverse comments about match officials it must be said that this referee's first-half performance left much to be desired. He seemed to be unduly influenced by the visitors histrionics prompting one spectator to enquire if local hero Sir Anthony Hopkins was a member of the coaching team.Seriously though he appeared to miss some very nasty tackles whilst punishing the seemingly innocuous, a recipe for allowing a game to get out of hand, but fortunately this did not happen as players, by and large, refrained from retaliating.

Following an early period where Port kept possession without threatening to score, they won a free-kick some thirty yards out. "Bend it like Beckham" exhorted one fan and Mike Foster stepped up to meet Dafydd Evans' short pass and with his left foot lifted the ball over the wall and curled it into the top corner of the net leaving keeper Brian Thomas clutching at fresh air.

Only a few minutes later Ryan Davies tested Thomas again with a fine downward header from Ritchie Owen's corner but the keeper was equal to the task. Thomas was again in action on the half-hour mark this time parrying away Mark Williams' looping header from just beneath his crossbar.

It took Lido 33 mins to produce their first real effort on goal, and a good effort it was, with Shaun Holmes whipping a low snap 18yd shot which brought an excellent diving save from McGuigan at his near post. Just before half-time McGuigan was again in action scrambling clear under pressure from Kevin Bartley but that was not before Foster and Caughter had set up a good move on the left for the home side and Thomas safely gathered the latter's cross under pressure from Mark Williams.

In the second period the visitors came out fighting hard to get back into the game, and enjoyed what was probably their best spell of the match without managing to create any clear chances. By the hour mark the home side appeared to have weathered the storm and the home side, with newcomer Ryan Davies coolly controlling things at the back, came into the game once more.

By this time, however, the swirling wind and the drizzling rain had gained the upper hand and the second period descended into a scrappy affair. The nearest the visitors came to draw level was in the 75th minute when O'Leary's high free-kick into the box caused panic and was only scrambled clear for a corner via the upright. For Port one of the few flashes of the second-half came from a fine long Ryan Davies pass to Pugh and the winger was kept out at the expense of a corner. That is how it remained until Carl Owen set up a glorious second goal.

A largely scrappy affair but brightened up by two magnificent goals which were worthy of winning any game. Then there was a clean sheet now that is something to savour -only the second one of the season. All-in-all a good day and three more points.

Port: McGuigan, John Gwynfor, Ryan Davies, Lee Webber, Mike Foster, Steve Pugh (Tony Williams), Dafydd Evans, Gareth Parry (Ritchie Owen), Gareth Caughter, Mark Williams, Carl Owen (Andy Wagstaffe).

Afan Lido: Brian Thomas, Craig Martin, Leigh Shrimpton, Paul Evans, Chris Piper, Andrew Pickard, David Moss, Chris Pridham, Kevin Bartley, Shaun O'Leary, Greg Hurley.
Subs: Sacha Walters, Carl Evans, Liam McCreesh, John Felton.

Report by: Gareth Williams.