Haverfordwest County produced one of their best performances of the season to comfortably see off Bala Town 2-0 at Maes Tegid in the JD Cymru Premier on Friday night.

In awful conditions in Gwynedd, the Bluebirds were in control of the contest from the first minute to the final whiste, as Tony Pennock’s men replicated the same scoreline from the previous meeting with the Lakesiders back in October.

Corey Shephard’s goal-of-the-season contender gave County the lead with the half hour mark approaching, with Ben Ahmun’s penalty less than two minutes into the second half enough to ensure a thoroughly deserved victory on the road – our first since the 1-0 win over Briton Ferry Llansawel at the end of August.

With impressive performances right across the pitch, the Town looked assured at the back to keep their second clean sheet in three games.

The result was enough to lift the Blues up two places to ninth with four games left to play in Phase One, as Pennock’s side look to build momentum heading into the second phase of the season.

Team news

Pennock made four changes to the side that lost at Barry Town United last Friday; three of which were enforced, with Alaric Jones and Kyle McCarthy suffering with illness, while Owain Jones – who had come off early on at Barry – missing out on the trip north. Kyle Kenniford dropped to the bench, with Elliot Scotcher having shaken off a knock to return, as he was joined in the starting XI by Iori Humphreys, Panashe Makwiramiti and Shephard – who had been ill for the game in Barry.

Development players Dylan McGuire and Hari Thomas also came into the squad, along with Tom Shepherd.

Haverfordwest County: L. Rees, Humphreys (Fawcett 46′), D. Rees (C), Scotcher, Watts, Abbruzzese, Makwiramiti, Walters, Shephard (Kenniford 67′), Hawkins, Ahmun

Substitutes not used: Knott, McGuire, Shepherd, Owen, Thomas

First half

It was the visitors who created the first opportunity of note, as Liam Higgins broke down the right and put a ball into the area which was missed by John Owen, allowing the Bluebirds to clear the danger.

A couple of minutes later, Haverfordwest County fashioned their first shot on target when Humphreys laid the ball off to Shephard on the edge of the area, with the midfielder’s effort saved low down by Joel Torrance.

The visitors had made a positive start to the game, and they created a second opportunity two minutes later when Shephard’s ball into the area found Humphreys, who directed his right-footed effort wide of the left post.

Pennock’s men were very much on the front foot at this stage, and they nearly opened the scoring with 24 minutes on the clock when Rhys Abbruzzese’s ball into the area found Dylan Rees unmarked, but the captain’s header was glanced just wide of the right post.

However, just two minutes later, the Blues hit the front in sensational style. After Ricky Watts had headed away from the edge of his area, Ahmun shielded his man to allow Shephard to run onto a bouncing ball which he struck first-time from the halfway line and sent it sailing over Torrance and into the net for what could well be the JD Cymru Premier goal of the season.

With the wind in their sails, the Bluebirds created a flurry of further chances. Abbruzzese saw his effort from 25 yards tipped over the bar by Torrance. From the resulting corner, Shephard saw a goalbound effort blocked, before Greg Walters nodded a ball into the area into the path of Watts, who saw his close-range effort blocked on its path to goal by Will Bell.

With the Town in firm control at this point, Ahmun was next to have a chance to extend the lead when Walters nodded Abbruzzese’s throw-in into the area and found the striker, who attempted to lob Torrance, but the Lakesiders keeper backtracked just enough to gather the ball.

The hosts created a moment of danger six minutes before the interval when Louis Hall put a ball across the face of goal which evaded everyone inside the six-yard box to the Bluebirds’ relief.

The Blues created a similar chance just before the break when Ahmun won possession back near to the right touchline and put a dangerous ball into the area which was just out of the clutches of the arriving Dan Hawkins.

Second half

Although County had produced one of their best first-half performances of the season, they knew the game was still in the balance with the scoreline at 1-0. However, less than a minute after the restart, they were awarded a penalty when Ahmun was brought down inside the area by Torrance, with referee Aaron Wyn Jones pointing to the spot. Ahmun made no mistake from 12 yards to net his 11th goal of the season to make it 2-0.

After producing another hugely impressive display, Shephard was forced off with 66 minutes on the clock after feeling some tightness, with Kenniford coming on in his place.

The second half didn’t see as many opportunities created as the first 45 minutes, but this was largely as a result of the Bluebirds controlling the game in a professional manner and maintaining their advantage.

With just under 25 minutes remaining, Walters’ left-footed effort from inside the area was goalbound, but it took a deflection off Nelson Digbeu and went behind for a corner which the home side defended.

The Lakesiders had a chance to halve the deficit when they were awarded a free-kick just outside the area. However, Sam Billington’s effort took a touch off the outstretched leg of Kenniford and went just wide of the left post.

With 12 minuets on normal time left to play, the hosts were reduced to 10 men as captain Nathan Burke was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Walters in midfield.

Walters shook off the tackle and was able to continue, and shortly after he tested Torrance with an effort from 25 yards that was gathered low down.

Ahmun could have netted his second goal in the closing stages when he got on the end of Abbruzzese’s pinpoint corner, but his header went into the ground and Torrance was able to gather the ball on the bounce.

The final effort on goal was by Bala substitute Lassana Nalatche Mendes, who saw his shot from 25 yards go wide of the left post as the Bluebirds celebrated a fantastic three points on the road.

Haverfordwest County are back in action on Saturday 20 December (14:30) when we travel to the Essity Stadium to take on Flint Town United in our final outing before Christmas.

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