Haverfordwest County AFC began their 2024-25 JD Cymru Premier campaign in style with a 1-0 victory away at Connah’s Quay Nomads on Sunday.

Ben Ahmun’s second-half penalty was enough to earn all three points for the Bluebirds, who produced an impressive all-round display against last season’s runners-up and JD Welsh Cup winners, and had opportunities to win the game by a wider margin.

This was County’s third consecutive victory at Essity Stadium, after last season’s 2-1 win over the Nomads and the 1-0 success against Flint Town United in the 2022-23 campaign.

The result means the Town occupy fourth spot after the opening weekend of fixtures, with Newtown, Penybont and Cardiff Metropolitan the other three sides to record victories on matchday one.

Team news

Manager Tony Pennock made one change to the side that defeated Carmarthen Town 5-0 in the Nathaniel MG Cup second round last Saturday, with Greg Walters coming into the midfield to mark his return to the club. Defender Kyle McCarthy and Ahmun both earned their first league starts for County, while Owain Jones was named in a Bluebirds matchday squad in the league for the first time.

Haverfordwest County: Z. Jones, Humphreys, Jenkins, Tabone, McCarthy (Dyer 81′), J. Owen, Shephard (C), Walters, H. John (Watts 66′), Hawkins (Fawcett 66′), Ahmun (O. Jones 66′)

Substitutes not used: Knott, D. John

First half

The Bluebirds started the game confidently and were clearly up for the battle against a Nomads side who are always difficult to play against, and indeed it was the Town who created the first opening of the contest when Dan Hawkins’ cross picked out Harri John, who saw his diving header saved by George Ratcliffe.

The Haverfordwest County defence were keeping the hosts quiet in the opening 20 minutes or so, but they needed Kyle McCarthy to provide an important intervention when he blocked the dangerous Lifumpa Mwandwe’s effort after the forward had broken into the area.

Shortly after the half-hour mark, the Bluebirds created the best opening of the game up to that point when Jacob Owen’s cross into the area was headed just wide of the right post by Ahmun.

With temperatures in the mid 20s in north Wales, both sets of players took a scheduled drinks break with 10 minutes remaining in the first half.

Pennock’s men negotiated the remainder of the first period with relatively little fuss as the side’s headed into the break goalless.

Second half

After Ben Nash had made an important intervention to clear a dangerous free-kick into the area, the Bluebirds won a penalty when Hawkins’ pass was played into the path of Harri John by Shephard, before the midfielder was fouled by Ben Nash and referee Iwan Griffith pointed to the spot. Ahmun took responsibility and made no mistake from 12 yards, as he sent former teammate Ratcliffe the wrong way to make it 1-0.

This forced the Nomads to respond, as they introduced former Bluebird, Elliott Dugan from the substitutes bench in place of Luca Hogan.

Mwandwe was looking the likeliest Connah’s Quay player to find the net, and the former Newtown man came close just after the hour mark when he cut inside onto his right foot before unleashing a low effort which flew past the left post.

Pennock turned to his bench for the first time with just over 20 minutes remaining when he brought on Ricky Watts, Ben Fawcett and Jones in place of Hawkins, John and Ahmun.

Despite having relatively little to do in the Bluebirds goal, Zac Jones showed his quality a few minutes later when Rhys Hughes’ low shot from just outside the area took a slight deflection off Lee Jenkins, with the Kiwi stopper reacting sharply to adjust and push the ball away to safety.

The former Tranmere Rovers man, who linked up with Neil Gibson’s side this summer, had another opportunity to test Jones not long after with a free-kick from outside the area which flew narrowly wide of the right post.

With the game finely poised as the final 15 minutes approached, the Town had a good chance to double their advantage when a clever first-time chipped pass over the top from Walters played Fawcett in, with his effort saved at the near post by Ratcliffe.

Fawcett was involved again just two minutes later when Watts’ ball over the top played the striker in, but this time his powerful effort from a matter of yards out went through the legs of Ratcliffe before making contact with his back, which resulted in the ball rolling across the goal line and away to safety.

There was another close call for County when Jones’ ball across the face of goal into a crowd of bodies was aimed for Fawcett, before taking a couple of touches and bouncing up near to the goal line with the hosts able to clear it to safety.

The Town knew a second goal would be enough to all but end the contest, and they came agonisingly close to making the most of their good opportunities when Owen intercepted Noah Edwards’ pass inside his own half before advancing upfield at pace and picking out Fawcett, who took a touch before placing his close-range effort just over the crossbar.

A minimum of six minutes were added at the end of the 90, ensuring the Bluebirds would have to maintain their concentration for a little while longer to earn the victory, and Mwandwe’s effort from the edge of the area – which was saved low down by Jones – aside, there were no further opportunities, and Pennock’s men were able to celebrate a well deserved victory which ensured we started the season in winning fashion.

Attendance: 272

Highlights