Haverfordwest County bowed out of the UEFA Conference League at the first qualifying round stage after a 3-2 defeat to Floriana at Parc y Scarlets meant we were edged out 5-3 on aggregate.

The Bluebirds made the perfect start to the game with goals from Greg Walters and Ben Ahmun moving us into a 3-2 aggregate lead with 17 minutes on the clock.

However, a deflected effort from Carlo Lonardelli levelled the tie on aggregate before County were reduced to 10 men when Alaric Jones was shown a second yellow card on the stroke of half time, with Jake Grech converting from the penalty spot to leave the Town with an uphill battle in the second half.

Tony Pennock’s men battled hard after the break, and did well for large periods to defy their numerical disadvantage. However, Charles M’Mombwa’s goal with just over 20 minutes remaining proved decisive as the Maltese outfit advanced to the second qualifying round.

Team news

Pennock named the same starting XI that took to the field at Centenary Stadium in Malta nine days earlier, with only alteration coming on the bench where Development team defender Dylan McGuire came in for goalkeeper Corey Mathias.

Haverfordwest County AFC: L. Rees, Watts (Humphreys 57′), D. Rees (Scotcher 78′), A. Jones, McCarthy, Abbruzzese, Shephard, Walters, Hawkins (Owen 78′), Fawcett (O. Jones 65′), Ahmun

Substitutes not used: Knott, Watkins, Hughes, James, McGuire

First half

The Bluebirds made a front-footed start to the game, and had their first opportunity on goal with only four minutes on the clock when a failed clearance fell into the path of Ben Fawcett, who directed his close range effort just wide of the right post.

County continued to boss proceedings early on, and they were rewarded for their positive start seven minutes later when a corner wasn’t dealt with by Floriana and the ball landed at the feet of Walters, who prodded it home from point-blank range to make it 1-0 on the night and 3-3 on aggregate.

With an impressive crowd of 1,789 right behind them, Haverfordwest County were keen to not rest on their one-goal lead, and six minutes later there was pandemonium in the stands and on the field as Ben Ahmun advanced inside the area before sending his right-footed curling effort from a tight angle into the far corner of the net to double the Bluebirds’ advantage on the night and move his team into an aggregate lead.

The mood inside Parc y Scarlets changed somewhat just two minutes later though, as Lonardelli’s right-footed effort from the edge of the area hit the unfortunate Kyle McCarthy on its path to goal, with the deflection taking the ball away from goalkeeper Luc Rees and into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to level the tie at 3-3.

Fawcett had an effort blocked at the near post as County continued to look dangerous going forward, with Rhys Abbruzzese sending his free-kick from just outside the area narrowly over the crossbar.

Lonardelli was forced off just after the half-hour mark, with Alejandro Garzia coming on in his place.

It looked as if the Bluebirds would take a one-goal advantage into the interval, however with just a minute of the first half remaining the away side were awarded a penalty when Alaric Jones was adjudged to have brought striker Mustapha Jan down with his right arm. The defender was shown a second yellow card and the Town were reduced to 10 men, with Grech finding the net from the penalty spot to put a completely different complexion on the tie heading into half time.

Second half

It was the Bluebirds who had the first opportunity of the second half when a quick set-piece move caught the Greens by surprise and gave Fawcett time and space to play a dangerous ball across the face of goal which found strike partner Ahmun, who didn’t catch his initial effort as intended, but despite being on the ground he managed to hook his second effort goalwards but saw it come back off the right post.

Having turned to his bench for the first time with 56 minutes on the clock when Iori Humphreys came on in place of Ricky Watts, Pennock was sent off by the referee a minute later following an altercation on the touchline.

The Bluebirds’ second change saw Owain Jones replace Ben Fawcett, with the tie still very much alive as it entered the final 25 minutes of normal time.

Having dug in deep to keep the Greens at bay, Haverfordwest County’s resistance was eventually broken with 67 minutes played when M’Mombwa’s powerful effort from near to the byline snuck in at the near post to extend the Maltese side’s aggregate lead.

The Town made two further changes with just over 10 minutes remaining, as Elliot Scotcher and Luc Owen came on for Dylan Rees and Dan Hawkins.

The Blues continued to battle away and they very nearly scored their third goal of the evening when lovely interplay between Owain Jones and Owen saw the former’s low effort from inside the area saved.

Rhys Abbruzzese was shown a second yellow card in stoppage time as the Bluebirds ended the game with nine men, but they could undoubtedly be very proud of their efforts and knew that on another day things could easily have gone their way.

Highlights