JD Cymru Premier – Phase 1

 

 

Haverfordwest County 2 – Penybont 1

 


Haverfordwest County battled for a deserved victory against Penybont under lights at the Ogi Wales Bridge Meadow Stadium on a crisp cold Friday evening.
 
This was the Bluebirds’ third win in a row as they currently sit in seventh spot in the table, whilst the visitors dropped from third to fourth.
 
Goals from Elliott Duggan, his first for the club and Jamie Veale gave the hosts a healthy 2-0 cushion at the break, but the visitors fought back strongly at the end as Kostya Georgievsky had a late effort ruled out for offside and in injury time Nathan Wood scored from the spot for a tense final few minutes where Mael Davies received a red card in cracking match which the fans enjoyed.
 
County central midfielder Corey Shephard made a welcome first start of the season also influential Henry Jones came off the bench following a lengthy spell out through injury.
 
The visitors gave early warning signs as Kai Whitmore warmed the hands of Bluebirds’ keeper Lee Idzi and Georgievsky’s cross cum cross flew over the crossbar.
 

Dugan off the mark

 
However, it was the home outfit who opened the scoring on the ten-minute mark, Shephard played a nicely weighted pass to Abbruzzese on the left who crossed low which Dugan neatly turned in the six-yard box past Alexander Pennock.

Minutes later Idzi denied Whitmore’s snap shot at the near post, at the other end teenager Harri John shot straight to Pennock from edge of area.
 

Terrific free kick

 
In the 33^rd minute the hosts doubled their lead, Ben Fawcett was taken out  on edge of area, up stepped Veale whose sumptuous curled free kick beat the despairing dive of Pennock.
 
Minutes late central defender Kyle Patten left the pitch injured and was replaced by young talented defender Iori Humphreys.
 
Jordan Davies glances a header over the bar as the hosts deservedly led 2-0 at half time.
 
Shortly after the break Nathan Wood turned and skied his effort too high, Dugan struck a vicious 25-yard strike that Pennock acrobatically tipped over the bar.
 
In the 67^th minute Dylan Rees suffered a heavy knock which needed treatment, minutes later he was replaced by Ricky Watts, there was also the introduction of Henry Jones who replaced Harri John.
 
On 80 minutes Georgievsky turned the ball home from close range, but it was flagged offside.
 

Wood spot on

 
Ryan George came on for goal scorer Dugan as the hosts were penned in their own half, in 93^rd minute the visitors were awarded a penalty which Wood made no mistake.
 
A few minutes later Mael Davies was shown a red card as the visitors went down to ten men, but it proved to be the Bluebirds’ night as they secured another precious three points much to the delight of manager Tony Pennock and the rest of the Bluebirds’ camp.
 
Haverfordwest County: Lee Idzi, Rhys Abbruzzese, Dylan Rees (Captain) (72’ Ricky Watts), Kyle Patten (37’ Iori Humphreys), Corey Shephard, Ben Fawcett, Jordan Davies, Jamie Veale, Lee Jenkins, Elliott Dugan (80’ Ryan George), Harri John (72’ Henry Jones).
 
Substitutes not used: Zac Jones, Ioan Evans, Lucas Davies.
 
Penybont: Alexander Pennock, Mark Little, Ashley Evans (Captain), Mael Davies, Kostya Georgievsky (85’ Tom Tweedy), Nathan Wood, Kai Whitmore (58’ Samuel Snaith), Keyon Reffell, Josh Yorwerth, Billy Borge (58’ Ryan Reynolds), Shaun MacDonald (69’ Lewis Clutton).
 
Substitutes not used: Kelland Absalom, Jak Carson.
 
Referee: Bryn Markham-Jones.
 
Assistants: Ian Bird & James Sheils.
 
Fourth Official: Alex McInch.