Bluebirds suffer Welsh Cup penalty heartbreak at hands of Archers

Haverfordwest County celebrate scoring the opener 
 

JD Welsh Cup – Round 4

 
 

Haverfordwest County 1 – Cardiff Met University 1
(Cardiff Met University win 4-2 on penalties)

 
Cardiff Met University progressed to the JD Welsh Cup quarter finals after agonisingly defeating Haverfordwest County on penalties a the Ogi Bridge Meadow.
 
Both these teams drew 1-1 at the same venue in the Welsh Premier League fixture just a couple of weeks ago, so this tie was always promised to be a close affair as it proved.
 
Martell Taylor-Crossdale gave The Bluebirds a slender 1-0 cushion at the break, but on the hour mark Lewis Rees equalised for The Archers as it finished 1-1 at full time. In the dreaded penalty shootout the Bluebirds lost 4-2 against the Archers who have progressed to the last eight of the competition.
 
Midway through the first period Tony Pennock’s men got the break through as Daniel Hawkins well flighted free kick was flicked on by Lee Jenkins straight into the path of  Martell Taylor-Crossdale who applied the finishing touch.
 
Shortly after the interval Jenkins headed over the crossbar, it was a glorious chance to put his side two up.
 
But the visitors grabbed a vital equaliser on the hour mark through Lewis Rees and that’s how it finished.
 
Then the dreaded penalty shootout  as Harry Owen, skipper Emlyn Lewis, Chris Craven and Lewis Rees all scored past Zac Jones, but it was heart ache for the Bluebirds who saw Rhys Abbruzzese and Kai Whitmore find the back of the net, but Taylor-Crossdale and Jack Wilson failed to score as The Archers reach the last eight of the competition.   
 
 
Haverfordwest County: Zac Jones, Ricky Watts (Captain), Ben Fawcett, Daniel Hawkins, Martell Taylor-Crossdale, Harri John (60’ Kai Whitmore), (Lee Jenkins, Rio Dyer (60’ Rhys Abbruzzese), Oscar Borg (92’ Iori Humphreys), Lee Tabone, Jacob Owen (45’ Jack Wilson).
Substitute not used: Ifan Knott.
 
Cardiff Met University: Alex Lang, Kyle McCarthy (Captain), Emlyn Lewis, Thomas Price, Eliot Evans, Dixon Kabongo, Harry Owen, Eliot Evans, Lewis Rees, Joe Evans, Christopher Craven, Thomas Vincent (88’ Finley Skiverton).
Substitutes not used: Ben Haines, Evan Cadwallader,  Charles Bullock, Haben Samson.
 
Referee: Huw Jones.
 
Assistants: Ian Bird & Daniel Richardson.
 
Fourth Official: Daniel Richardson.
 
Referee Observer: Paul Morgan.



Lee Jenkins wins the aerial battle