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The winter West Wales sun shone brightly across the backdrop of the Norman Castle for the game at the Bridge Meadow, and more importantly for Haverfordwest County, they shone on the newly installed 3G surface as they beat North Walian visitors, Bala Town 3-2.
Attacking the Castle end in the first half, the Bluebirds had Centre Half, Lee Jenkins making his hundredth appearance controlled the early exchanges, wing backs Rhys Abbruzzese and Jacob Owen creating space for crosses which eluded frontmen Ben Fawcett and Ben Ahmun, Joel Torrance in the visiting goal untroubled for the opening twenty minutes, before central midfielder Corey Shepard shot from fifteen yards was saved, Fawcett the provider for his skipper, Owen making strides down the right three minutes later and visiting centre half cleared away a shot from Greg Walters.
Bala found it hard to penetrate the home sides defence, Jenkins marauding creating a corner which penned Bala in their own penalty area as play was switched across the pitch, Fawcett just unable to keep his header down from a long throw by Owen. Against the run of play, Louis Robles overran Owen and his cross was headed beyond a sprawling Zak Jones, by Osebi Abadaki, the first chance the visitors had on the home goal gave them a 1-0 lead on 33 minutes.
Ahmun on 35 minutes created space for a cross and Fawcett had his header from twelve yards well saved by Torrence, Lassana Mendes striking over the bar from twenty yards as the game entered the final ten minutes of the half.
Uniss Kangbo grew in confidence as the game progressed, his overlapping run at speed putting the home side on the backfoot, his defensive duties of equal importance as he was solid beside Ross White, Eddie Clarke and skipper Nathan Peate. Abbruzzese drew a free kick and Dan Hawkins delivery put pressure on the far post, the resultant corner from Abbruzzese was flicked on by Walters and from a rebound via Ahmun, Hawkins volleyed in from six yards to equalise on 44 minutes.
Bryn Markham-Jones whistle drew the opening period to a close after two minutes of added time with the team’s level at 1:1 in front of a crowd of 503.
The second half followed the same pathway with the home side dominant as they played towards the Hospital end, Owen’s searching ball three minutes into the half found Fawcett and the diminutive front man turned tightly to create space but his shot from 20 yards arrowed over the bar. Edwards and Eddie Clarke combined for Bala, Clarkes free kick on 50 minutes not troubling Jones goal.
Clarke was replaced after 55 minutes by Kieron Lloyd after the defender picked up a knock, Lloyd making an early impression as his dangerous near post cross just evaded Whites head, Peate at the other end dominating the central areas.
Fawcett had a header saved on the hour by Torrance after he combined well with the pivotal Walters and Owen, five minutes later Hawkins drilled in his second of the game to give his side a 2-1 lead, his crisp right foot strike from the edge of the box came after Abbruzzese made ground to deliver a pin point cross to Fawcett, who graciously set up the space for Hawkins.
Man of the match Abbruzzese showed his composure and football understanding to be a constant outlet for his side and rarely delivered a poor ball, the Bluebirds scored on 70 minutes as a long free kick from Luke Tabone found its way to frontman Ahumn who cooly buried his effort from 15 yards to make it 3-1.
As the sun drifted from the Pembrokeshire sky Bala enjoyed a period of pressure without causing corner for Haverfordwest, Tony Pennock making a change as Owain Jones replaced goal scorer Ahumn with fifteen minutes to play, Colin Caton making a triple switch as Geroge Newell was replaced by Joe Malkin, Mendes replaced by Dan Malone and goal scorer Abadaki replaced by Callum Edwards.
With ten to play, Edwards drew the game back to 3-2 as he found space at the far post and placed the ball beyond an advancing Jones, Jacob Owen immediately replaced by Iori Humphreys and veteran Bluebird Ricky Watts replaced double goal scorer Hawkins. Bala had their tails up and Nathan Burke had a left foot volley from twenty yards which just cleared the cross bar, Tabone and Jenkins strongly imposing themselves on the game to keep the home ship water tight, Humphreys creating an opportunity at the other end that Fawcett couldn’t direct beyond Torrance. Peate was dismissed with five minutes to play as he made a crunching late tackle on Walters on the halfway line leaving referee Markham-Jones with little option but to bring out the red card, a yellow furnished for dissent to Burke for his protest.
Against ten men Haverfordwest controlled the final minutes, including an added four minutes to secure the three points as they challange at ten top of the Championship table.
Haverfordwest County
Jones: Abbruzzese: Jenkins: Shephard ©: Fawcett: Hawkins (Watts, 80) McCarthy: Walters: Owen (Humphreys, 80): Tabone: Ahmun (Jones O, 75):
Substitutes not used
Knott: John H: Jones A: John D:
Bala Town
Torrance: Kargbo: Peate ©: Edwards A: Mendes (Malone, 75): Burke: Newell (Malkin, 75): Abadaki (Edwards, 75): Robles: White: Clarke (Lloyd, 55):
Substitutes not used
Mehasseb
Referee
Bryn Markham-Jones
Assistant Referees: Daniel Beckett & Ian Bird
4th Official Ben Williams
