Haverfordwest County 2-1 The New Saints: Keetch and Shephard inspire Bluebirds to shock victory

Haverfordwest County claimed a major upset as they defeated The New Saints at the Bridge Meadow Stadium.

Goals from Cameron Keetch and Corey Shephard inspired the Bluebirds to victory over managerless TNS, who equalised through Blaine Hudson but were unable to hold on.

Wayne Jones’ side move into the top six with the victory meanwhile Chris Seargeant’s men fall three points behind league leaders Connah’s Quay.

Both sides enjoyed possession and played football, home captain Ricky Watts denying Leo Smiths goal-bound effort inside five minutes but Haverfordwest developed their pattern of play as Ben Fawcett, Williams, and Dan Summerfield showed great movement, touch and calmness. 

Matt Turner, playing his first game since the reverse fixture in October was called upon to deny centre half Ryan Astles from a corner before Shephard drew the first save om Paul Harrison with a drive from the edge of the box which the stopper pushed round his post.

The midfielder did find the back of the net later though, good approach play from Williams and Fawcett saw his strike from outside the penalty area elude everyone to find the bottom corner, the visitors’ protests for offside dismissed by referee Dave Morgan as Kieran Lewis and Williams were deemed not to be interfering with play.

Williams and Fawcett had opportunities to add to the goal from Shephard, Williams strike just escaping the far post from close range whilst Fawcett couldn’t pull the trigger as Hudson closed him down after the diminutive striker skilfully broke away from his marker following good work from midfielder Kieran Lewis. 

Both Haverfordwest strikers enjoyed further sights of Harrison’s goal without causing concern as TNS enjoyed a higher percentage of the possession but called Turner into only a couple of saves, from a Smith header and Greg Draper, who became more prominent as the half wore on. 

Cieslewicz was their most productive attacking force for TNS, reaching the bye line and creating chances, one of which Robles narrowly chipped over under pressure from Alaric Jones and Turner pulled off two fine saves on the cusp of half time, the midfielder the only recipient of a yellow card for a foul on Summerfield midway through the half.

The second half began with Jamie Mullan replacing Smith, a marauding Jones squandering an early opportunity for the home side as he fired wide from twenty yards, Fawcett again skilfully outfoxing  Hudson making the defender trackback and reclaim the ball as Fawcett made ground into the penalty box.  

Hudson, who scored a last-minute winner in the encounter at Park Hall equalised when he met Cieslewicz’s inswinging corner with a powerful header that struck the underside of the bar despite pressure from Scott Tancock.  The equaliser saw the sustained play from the Saints, particularly on the right where Greg Spender, Mullan and the ever more influential Daniel Redmond imposed themselves on the game.

Cameron Keetch replaced Lewis in the midfield for Wayne Jones side after an hour, TNS replacing Draper with Dean Ebbe nine minutes later, the striker immediately testing Turner immediately with a powerful volley from inside the box.

Caretaker manager Seargeant, who won nineteen trophies in his playing career had expressed a desire for his side to be more clinical in front of goal and their inability to turn their possession into goals against a well-organised home side came home to roost as the Bluebirds took the lead once again.

Shephard played a one-two with striker Fawcett before releasing Williams with an arrow ball from inside his own half, the on-loan Cardiff City striker strode quickly to the edge of the box before cutting inside Hudson and cleverly laying the ball back outside to the overlapping Keetch, who calmly guided the ball beyond an advancing Harrison into the far corner.

Veteran Bluebird Sean Pemberton joined the fray two minutes later for Kurtis Rees, Turner saving brilliantly again from an Astles header from six yards, the on loan Leeds United shot stoper justifying his recall as his side withstood a barrage of corners from the visitors.

The Haverfordwest defence, which included Jazz Richards for his home debut defended stoutly, led by Watts and in the final throes of the game, Turner commanded his box with aplomb, coming for a Marriott cross deep into four minutes of injury time.

Jones picked up his fifth yellow card for time-wasting meaning he misses next Saturday’s trip to table-topping Connah’s Quay Nomads through suspension was the only blot on the copybook for Jones’s side.

Haverfordwest County: Matthew Turner, Dan Summerfield, Alaric Jones, Scott Tancock, Ricky Watts (c), Corey Shephard, Ben Fawcett (Marcus Griffiths 78), Kurtis Rees (Sean Pemberton 84), Kieran Lewis (Cameron Keetch 60), Danny Williams, Jazz Richards.
Substitutes not used: Wojciech Gajda (GK), Trystan Jones.

Yellow card: Alaric Jones

The New Saints: Paul Harrison, Simon Spender (Ben Clark 82), Chris Marriott (c), Greg Draper (Dean Ebbe 69), Daniel Redmond, Adrian Cieslewicz, Blaine Hudson, Ryan Astles, Louis Robles, Leo Smith (Jamie Mullan 46), Thomas Holland.
Substitutes not used: Rob Williams (GK), Keston Davies, Adam Roscrow, Jake Canavan.

Yellow card: Louis Robles

Referee:  David Morgan.
Assistants: Ian Bird and Connor Thomas.
Fourth Official: Ben Williams.

(Featured Image: Matthew Kelly)