- Jones (90+3')
Defender Alaric Jones was delighted to provide the decisive contribution as his 93rd-minute header gave Haverfordwest County a dramatic late 1-0 victory away at Briton Ferry Llansawel on Bank Holiday Monday.
The game appeared to be heading for a goalless draw after an attritional contest at the Renewable Centre Stadium, but the centre-back popped up with a looping header from Dan Hawkins’ corner to give the Bluebirds a priceless three points.
The goal was Alaric’s first in senior football since April 2022, and capped an impressive all-round display from the 24-year-old and the rest of the team, who earned their first clean sheet of the league season.
Here’s what the defender had to say in full after the game:
On the result
I’m delighted. I was just saying to Sgorio now, I gave the ball away just before and they countered on us and I struggled to get back into the box. To be honest, I was blowing, but I came in [to the box] late which meant my man didn’t pick me up and I got my head on one. So we’re delighted to win.
On the performance
I think our performance levels probably weren’t as good as they have been in the first two games, but we came away with three points so that’s the main thing.
We said beforehand, playing long on a bouncy surface, it was playing into their hands, but to be honest there wasn’t much we could do about it. I think risk and reward, we didn’t want to play on a surface like this all the time. In the last 20 minutes I thought we started to play a bit more, and then got the goal later on.
On the opening three games
We were just saying how we’ve been disappointed not to get three points in both of those two games, really, at least four from the two, but these are the ones that matter away from home. Ugly wins, as a defender, they’re the ones you love, so I’m buzzing.
I think if you look at the results, it’s frustrating. But being on the pitch and being in the changing room, although obviously you’re fuming when you come away with losses and draws, but when it settles you kind of say ‘look, we watch it back and we played alright there’. Nine times out of 10, we probablt get four points [from the first two games]. The performance wasn’t important today. It was more the three points, and we got them.
On the goal
We were having a moment, me and Dan, during half time about his delivery, so he’s put one on a plate which went over someone’s head and I’ve kind of dived in. To be honest, I went down for a penalty after taking a boot to the head and I didn’t realise until Greg rolled me over and told me that it’d gone in. So I’ve just watched it back. It was a good one. Good to get the first win of the season.
On the next game
Going in with that momentum is good. I think after three games, if you’re sat on one point, performances go out of the window and it’s kind of a place where you need a win then. So to get it on the board away from home, we’ll be full of confidence now against Caernarfon on Saturday.
