In a break from the Cymru Premier this weekend, Bont are on the road in Welsh Cup action.
Ahead of the short trip west to Aberavon, we preview what to expect from Afan Lido, as we look to progress to the third round of the cup.
The man in charge
A familiar face to Rhys Griffiths, Lee Surman has been in charge at Afan Lido since January 2026.
Initially an assistant at Afan Lido, Surman was promoted to the top job after a successful spell in caretaker charge. He has turned Lido into a devastating attacking side when at their best, with the team having scored four or more goals six times since he took charge.
Griff and Surman played together in two separate spells with Afan Lido’s rivals Port Talbot Town. It was during their second spell as teammates that Griff broke the all-time scoring record in a single game in the Welsh Premier League; as it was named then, with seven goals at the very stadium we play at on Sunday.
Last time out
Afan Lido’s last game was an enthralling 5-5 draw with Pure Swansea.
Alex Giardelli scored a hattrick inside 35 minutes, with Brandon Roberts also on the scoresheet. Before the assistant referee had put up his board for stoppage time at the end of the first half, Lido led 4-1.
But, two stoppage time goals at the end of the first half from the away side meant the game went into the break 4-3.
From there, Pure Swansea completed the spectacular turnaround, taking a 5-4 lead. But, stoppage time drama was not restricted to only the first half in this game. Sean Cronin earned a point for Lido with a 93rd minute equaliser to provide one last twist in a game that will live long in the memory for both sets of fans.
Our last meeting
Bont and Lido’s last competitive meeting was also a draw, though one that involved far fewer goals than the home side’s last league game.
It took penalties to settle a Welsh League Cup tie between the sides, at the beginning of the 23/24 season.
Liam McCreesh gave Lido the lead after 15 minutes, before Chris Venables equalised in injury time at the end of the first half.
In the shootout, Lido emerged victorious, winning 5-4 on penalty kicks.
However, the two sides have met in friendlies since then. Bont have emerged victorious in both fixtures, winning 7-0 in June 2025 and 6-0 in July 2024.
Key Players
Liam Griffiths- A stalwart at Lido over the last few seasons, Liam Griffiths has now spent more than five years with the club, and racked up double figures for goals in the Cymru South on three occasions.
The 33-year-old had a haul of 10 last season, but has already scored four times this campaign, as well as grabbing a further two assists.
He scored two goals against Goytre United last time out in the cup, but did not score in the 10 goal thriller that Lido played out last week, with the goals falling to his strike partner.
Alex Giardelli- The hattrick hero last time out against Pure Swansea, striker Giardelli will come into this fixture full of confidence.
The 28-year-old won promotion to the Cymru Premier last season with Ammanford, but joined Lido over the summer.
He has already scored four goals in the Cymru South this season, matching his tally from last season. He also scored in the previous round as Lido ran out 4-1 winners over Goytre AFC.
Jack Pascoe- A source of goals from midfield, Jack Pascoe has already scored three in his first 11 games for Afan Lido.
An all action midfielder who has barely missed a minute for Lido all season, he has emerged as a key cog in Lee Surman’s team after only a few months at the club.
Before his time in the Cymru South with Lido and previously Caerau Ely, Pascoe enjoyed a college soccer career in the United States.
The Stadium
Afan Lido play their home games at the Marston’s Stadium, a recognisable ground to anyone who has ever taken a walk along Aberavon seafront.
The Marston’s Stadium is 14 miles from the Dragonbet Stadium by road, with a journey taking around 25 minutes. Street parking is available on the seafront, though the club advise supporters to get to the stadium early, as parking can get full on big matchdays.
By bus, the X1 service travels between Bridgend and Port Talbot. However, Port Talbot bus station is around a 30 minute walk from Afan Lido’s Stadium.
The journey between Bridgend and Port Talbot by train takes around 15 minutes, however there is a 40 minute walk between Port Talbot Parkway station and the Marston’s Stadium.
See you at the Marston’s Stadium Bont fans.