By James Dow

10-man Haverfordwest County suffered a 3-1 defeat to Connah’s Quay Nomads on a frustrating afternoon at the Ogi Bridge Meadow.

Callum West’s opener in the 13th minute was cancelled out by a Ben Ahmun penalty 15 minutes later, with the scores level going into half-time.

A second-half brace from Rhys Hughes put the game beyond the Bluebirds, who found themselves on the wrong side of several decisions throughout the match.

The Town were reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes to play after Ahmun received his second yellow card for a challenge on Dan Cowan.

The visitors opened the scoring just after the 10th minute when Harry Franklin’s header crashed against the crossbar, with the rebound falling kindly to West who finished from close range.

In difficult weather conditions, the game was evenly poised, but the Bluebirds found an equaliser just before the half-hour mark. Rhys Abruzzese was pulled down in the box by Franklin, and Ahmun stepped up to convert the penalty, netting his third league goal of the season past Kit Margetson.

As conditions worsened and affected the flow of the game, an opportunity fell to Luc Owen, whose long-range effort took a deflection before going out for a corner.

The Nomads dealt with the resulting corner and broke quickly, with the ball falling to Hughes 20 yards from goal, but his curling effort flashed wide of Ifan Knott’s post.

The game burst into life in the closing minutes of the half, as Dan Hawkins delivered a superb ball across the face of goal for Ahmun, who was just unable to get the decisive touch. Moments later, the Nomads created a chance of their own, with a dangerous cross from Declan Poole finding Franklin, but his header was well saved by Knott.

Knott, who was starting for the first time in the league this season, was called into action again just minutes later when Jack Kenny broke through on goal after a long ball from Margetson. The forward tried to round the goalkeeper, but Knott stood strong to make the save and keep the score level going into half-time.

Hughes continued to be the Nomads’ most dangerous player going forward, and he nearly added a second goal in the 55^th minute after beating his man in the box and releasing a powerful effort from close-range, which was gathered by Knott.

Five minutes later, Kenny broke the offside trap and went one-on-one with Knott, but the goalkeeper denied him with a smart save using his boot.

A hugely controversial moment went against the Bluebirds just after the hour mark when an over-the-top ball saw Ahmun race away through on goal before he was taken down by Ben Nash inside the area, however to the disbelief of everyone in attendance play was waved on.

The Nomads doubled their lead minutes later when the ball fell to Hughes 20 yards out after a scramble in the box, with the midfielder producing a smart left-footed finish into the bottom left corner to put the visitors ahead.

Things went from bad to worse for the Bluebirds as Ahmun was shown a second yellow for a challenge on Cowan with 20 minutes left to play.

The Nomads netted their third goal in the 90th minute when Franklin dispossessed Abbruzzese – who was nudged into an advertising board – on the right before drilling a ball across the face of goal for Hughes to tap in at the back post.

Hawkins had the final kick of the game and almost found a consolation, but his strike from outside the area drifted wide of Margetson’s post.

Haverfordwest County: Knott, Humphreys (Thomas 74′), D. Rees, Watts (Shepherd 8′), Walters, Abbruzzese, Makwiramiti (Scotcher 74′), Owen (Watkins 74′), Shephard, Hawkins, Ahmun

Substitutes not used: L. Rees, Hughes, James

Connah’s Quay Nomads: Margetson, Poole, Nash, Cowan, Marriott, Franklin, West (Woodcock 94′), Edwards, Cook (Fregapane 94′), Kenny, Hughes

Substitutes not used: Berry, Oswell, Ismael, Buah, Parry

Highlights