Haverfordwest County AFC notched their first victory over Bala Town in four years with a 2-0 success at Maes Tegid on Friday evening which lifted us to second place in the JD Cymru Premier.

Second-half goals from Ben Fawcett and the returning Rhys Abbruzzese secured a deserved three points for the Bluebirds, who showed a real appetite for the physical battle while also having the clinical touch required.

Fawcett’s goal, his first in the league this season, was a sublime effort, before Abbruzzese put the game to bed with a precise effort from just outside the area.

This was the first time the Town have tasted success at Maes Tegid since October 2020, when a last-minute goal from Jack Wilson secured a dramatic 2-1 win in our first season back in the JD Cymru Premier.

The Haverfordwest County players wore black armbands during the fixture in memory of the late Raymond Pennock, father of first team manager Tony, who sadly passed away earlier in the week.

The result, which made it four unbeaten in the top-flight for County, saw us leapfrog Cardiff Metropolitan, who host Caernarfon Town on Saturday afternoon, and we will be looking to continue our momentum when we host Connah’s Quay Nomads at LHP Stadium next Saturday, 12 October.

Team news

Manager Tony Pennock made two changes to the side that defeated Cardiff Metropolitan 1-0 on matchday 10, with captain Dylan Rees coming into the starting XI for the first time this season, as Fawcett was handed a start alongside Owain Jones up top. Abbruzzese marked his return to the matchday squad as he took his place on the bench.

Haverfordwest County: Z. Jones, J. Owen, Jenkins, Tabone, A. Jones, McCarthy (Abbruzzese 77′), Rees (C, D. John 88′), Shephard, Walters, Fawcett (Watts 88′), O. Jones (Ahmun 59′)

Substitutes not used: Knott, Humphreys, H. John

First half

It was the hosts who had the first opportunity of the contest after two minutes, when Lakesiders captain Nathan Peate was found unmarked inside the area before he sent a looping header wide of the left post.

Three minutes later, a loose ball fell into the path of Rees 40 yards from goal, and the skipper tried his luck with a speculative effort which was gathered by Joel Torrance. Less than a minute after this, it looked as if Fawcett was about to test the Lakesiders stopper when the home defence misjudged a ball upfield by Alaric Jones and the striker broke through on goal, however they recovered just in time to prevent him from getting a shot away.

Having received a call-up to the Malta squad for their upcoming games against Turkmenistan and Moldova earlier in the day, Luke Tabone put in another impressive shift in defence, and he was in the right place to get an important block in from Joe Malkin’s effort from inside the area.

The Bluebirds were beginning to get on top in the midfield area and land on the majority of second balls, and just after the half-hour mark a pinpoint ball into the area from Alaric Jones was glanced just wide of the right post by Corey Shephard.

County appealed for a penalty just after Shephard’s chance as Greg Walters went down inside the area, however referee Tom Owen waved play on.

There was a lengthy stoppage in play before the interval for a serious injury to former Wales age-grade international Christian Norton, who had to be stretchered off after receiving treatment from both medical teams. Our best wishes are wish Christian for a full and speedy recovery.

Following the stoppage, 11 minutes were added on at the end of the first half, and towards the end of the first period the Bluebirds had their best chance of the half when a fantastic ball into the area from Jacob Owen found Fawcett unmarked, but his first-time effort flew just wide of the left post.

Second half

Keen to start the second half in the same vein they had finished the first, County created a good chance two minutes after the restart when Kyle McCarthy’s ball into the area picked out Lee Jenkins, but the defender’s effort was gathered by Torrance.

The Town were ahead just five minutes later though, as McCarthy laid the ball off to Fawcett who controlled it just inside the area before turning his man and curling a delicious effort past the despairing Torrance and into the right-hand corner of the net to make it 1-0.

Ben Ahmun was introduce just before the hour mark in place of Owain Jones, who had put in a tireless shift for his team and laid the foundation for the last 30 minutes or so.

The hosts inevitably had spells of pressure as they chased an equaliser with plenty of balls coming into the Bluebirds’ area, however the defence was up for the challenge all evening as we continued to repel the Lakesiders’ best efforts.

With 13 minutes left on the clock, Abbruzzese marked his return to first team action as he came on for his first top-flight appearance since the end of last season, replacing another strong performer in McCarthy.

It took just six minutes for the wing-back to remind everyone of his quality when, having appeared to be fouled just outside the area, he received possession back when Walters claimed the ball and laid it off to him, and the former Wales age-grade international took a touch before firing low into the right-hand corner to double County’s advantage.

Pennock’s men were able to safely negotiate the remainder of the contest as they kept Bala at bay to earn a seventh clean sheet in 11 league outings, extending our unbeaten run to four matches in the process.

Highlights