Haverfordwest County were left to rue a disappointing first-half display as the Bluebirds suffered a 3-2 defeat to Briton Ferry Llansawel in their final game of Phase One in the JD Cymru Premier at the Ogi Bridge Meadow on Tuesday evening.

The Town were 3-0 down at half time after goals from Ollie Anderson, Tom Walters and Alex Gammond.

Ben Ahmun netted his 13th goal of the season inside the final 15 minutes before Hari Thomas scored his first senior goal for the club in added time to give the Blues some faint hope, but the comeback ultimately fell just short.

It wasn’t the end to Phase One that Tony Pennock’s men were hoping for in what was their first home game of 2026, but there will still positives to take forward, not least two Academy products in Thomas and Will Hughes combining for the second goal.

The result means the Bluebirds will begin Phase Two in ninth place, a point behind Briton Ferry Llansawel in eighth and four points further back from Cardiff Metropolitan in seventh as an intriguing conclusion to the season lies in wait.

Team news

Pennock made two changes to the side that drew 0-0 with Cardiff Metropolitan on December 30, with Greg Walters and Owain Jones returning to the starting 11.

Haverfordwest County: L. Rees, Hawkins, D. Rees (C), A. Jones (Watts 46′), McCarthy, Abbruzzese, Makwiramiti (Hughes 46′), Walters, Kenniford, O. Jones (Thomas 75′), Ahmun

Substitutes not used: Knott, Owen, Shepherd, Humphreys

First half

The opening exchanges were pretty lively, with both teams getting into each other’s defensive thirds with relative ease. However, with 15 minutes played, it was the visitors who took the lead when Luis Bates’ cross into the area from the right found Anderson unmarked inside the area, and the forward produced an acrobatic finish to find the net.

The Reds were in the ascendency at this point, and they were able to double their lead eight minutes later. Walters received the ball 25 yards from goal and had time and space to unleash a left-footed effort which was just out of reach for Luc Rees before hitting the underside of the crossbar and crossing the goal line.

The Bluebirds were keen to find a way back into the contest before half time, and Rhys Abbruzzese had a chance to test Will Fuller shortly after, but his effort from just outside the area went narrowly wide of the left post.

The Blues would have hoped to have kept the deficit to two goals heading into the break, but shortly after the half hour mark things got worse as Gammond was found unmarked from a corner, giving the defender the simple task of heading home from a matter of yards.

Second half

Pennock made two changes for the second half, with Hughes and Ricky Watts replacing Panashe Makwiramiti and Alaric Jones.

It was the Reds who had the first effort on goal two minutes after the restart when Anderson’s effort from just inside the area was gathered by Luc Rees.

Six minutes later, the Bluebirds had their best opportunity up to this point of the match. Walters’ effort from the edge of the area wasn’t struck as he would have hoped, however the ball rolled into the path of Ahmun who saw his close-range effort saved by Fuller.

The home side almost got a goal back just before the hour mark when a free-kick into the area was glanced towards the Ferry goal, but the ball went just wide of the right post to prevent an own goal.

Hughes was showing plenty of promise down the right wing for the Bluebirds, and he put a great cross into the area which picked out Owain Jones, who saw his first-time effort pushed behind by Fuller.

Just moments later, Ahmun went close again when some neat interplay freed the striker inside the area, but his goalbound effort was blocked by a last-ditch challenge.

Owain Jones tested Fuller for a second time with just over 20 minutes remaining when his right-footed effort from just outside the area was tipped over the crossbar by the Reds stopper.

Substitute Watts almost reduced the deficit with 18 minutes remaining when a corner was worked to Hughes 25 yards from goal, with the wing-back chipping a ball into the area which was glanced goalwards by the midfielder, but Fuller got down low to his right to push the ball to safety.

Thomas was introduced from the bench with a quarter of an hour remaining as he replaced Owain Jones, who could count himself unfortunate not to have got on the scoresheet in the second half.

Just a minute later, Haverfordwest County did get on the board as Watts’ long ball into the area from inside his own half picked out Ahmun, with the forward showing fine technique to send his header looping over Fuller and into the net to make it 1-3.

With something still to play for inside the final 10 minutes, Dan Hawkins came close to halving the deficit when Abbruzzese’s ball into the area picked him out, but his first-time effort was saved by Fuller at his near post.

There was an element of surprise when only four minutes of added time were displayed, however there was still enough time for Thomas to open his account for the first team. Having broken into the area and evaded a would-be tackler, Hughes pulled the ball back to his Development teammate who showed his predatory instincts to find the bottom left-hand corner of the net.

Unfortunately there wasn’t enough time for the Bluebirds to find an equaliser, and they will be hoping to bounce back in the opening game of Phase Two. Our fixtures for the second phase will be confirmed in due course.

Highlights