Haverfordwest County 2-0 Barry Town United: Jordan Davies brace puts Barry adrift

Haverfordwest secured their Cymru Premier status for another season with a dominant 2-0 victory at the Bridge Meadow over relegation-threatened Barry Town United.

Haverfordwest achieved their victory thanks to a brace of goals from frontman Jordan Davies and a brilliant penalty save from goalkeeper Lee Idzi with twenty minutes remaining of the game, which the home side controlled for the majority of the time.

The home side had their first chance on nine minutes when frontman Davies used his pace to create an opportunity but couldn’t find a team mate with his driven cross from the right. Jazz Richards gave away a soft freekick three minutes later but Jonathan Hoods curling free kick from the left evaded the on coming offensive line.

Kieran Lewis had an opportunity at the other end after Davies willingness to chase everything saw Ben Fawcett set up the midfielder with an overhead flick, the home side settled in their play and moving forward with a well structured pattern, Davies was a pivotal player, combining fluently this time with Henry Jones, before Kurtis Rees weakly spooned over a cross shot.

On nineteen minutes Davies created and finished neatly from the edge of the box running on from a slick touch from Fawcett, leaving Rhys Abbruzzese flat footed as he struck beyond the hapless Lewis. He nearly doubled the lead a minute later this time from the left, the curling effort beating everyone but unfortunately for the striker, beyond the far upright also.

Chesterfields men enjoyed some offensive play as Rhys Kavanagh broke away, centre back Elliot Scotcher calmly guiding it clear, Fawcett and Jones combined fluidly before the half hour, Fawcett again setting up Davies but he mistimed his strike.

A corner on 35 minutes saw Fawcett free in the box and his header to the bottom corner was scrambled away by Lewis to keep the score at 1-0, home stalwart Ricky Watts making an uncharacteristic mistake a minute later as Marcus Day drove agonisingly over Idzi’s crossbar. Davies and Jones tore their way down the Linnets left shortly after, Davies having a heavy touch allowing Luke Cooper to clear for a corner, Davies seeing his goal bound header to the corner tipped over by Lewis.

Marcus Day picked up the games opening yellow card on 42 minutes for a heavy tackle on Richards, Fawcett and Kieran Lewis creating an opportunity as the home side looked to turn their abundance of possession and territory into a second goal before the break.

Haverfordwest began the second half where they left off, Davies and Fawcett to the fore, the former Hakin United striker also a defensive stronghold with a clearing header from a corner, Barry appealing loudly for a handball in the home penalty box waved away by referee Harrington, and then immediately at the other end Lewis bravely falling at Fawcett’s feet after a neat clip to the near post from Richards.

Clayton Green developed play skilfully down the left for the visitors, their final ball lacking finesse to trouble Idzi and his back four, the Bluebirds doubling their lead on the on 58 minutes, Jones rifling a cross field ball for Fawcett to find space on the right and deliver a pinpoint cross onto the right foot of the oncoming Davies for his second of the game.

Goalkeeper Idzi took an unnecessary yellow card as he delayed the restart on 64 minutes and a minute later Kieran Lewis also picked up a card with a rash challenge on Green to give away a penalty. Idzi brilliantly saved low to his left from Day’s rasping strike which deflated the East Walian side, Haverfordwest’s Jack Wilson replacing Jones as Hayen bravely kept his side on the front foot.

Richards made a last gasp tackle on Day as he bore down on goal, that being the midfielders last action as he was replaced alongside Cooper and Green in a triple substitution by Chesterfield, Callum Sainty, Chris Hugh and Jordan Cotterill the replacements as the manager searched to ignite his side in the crucial encounter.

Davies blotted a near perfect performance when he picked up a yellow card as the game entered its last ten minutes after a late challenge and Barry replaced Kavanagh and Hood with Nat Jarvis and Harry Jones, player of the month nominee Touray Sissay coming on for Kieran Lewis for the Bluebirds. Former Wales international Richards felt the full weight of Idzi clearing his lines with six minutes remaining causing a delay, Wilson capitalising on a great advantage played by Harrington at the other end as Fawcett was fouled, but he just tiled his right foot shot the wrong side of the post.

An unfortunate incident saw oxygen and a stretcher required for Sissay when an innocuous challenge saw him land heavily, the obvious shoulder injury seeing him transported post match to hospital. His replacement Alex Worley showed some neat play in his few minutes and Fawcett ended the game by blasting wildly over the bar after 112 First Aid man of the match Davies and Wilson created a pocket of space.

The final whistle came to a rousing cheer from the 543 spectators present the result putting Haverfordwest top of the Conference table and in prime position for a play off place in the Scottish Challenge Cup as they head up to reigning champions Connahs Quay Nomads on Monday, Barry having to quickly regroup ahead of their Easter Monday cracker at home to Aberystwyth.

Haverfordwest County

Idzi, Richards, Scotcher, D. Rees ©, Fawcett; Patten, Rees K, Davies, Lewis (Sissay [Worley])George,Williams, H. Jones (Wilson) 

Substitutes not used: Jones Z, Humphreys, Davies L, George

Yellow Cards

Idzi; Lewis; Davies

Barry Town United

Lewis, McLaggon ©, Jarvis, Kavanagh (Hugh), Day (Sainty), Wharton, Abbruzzese, Cooper (Jones), Green, Hood, Press, George M

Substitutes not used

Absalom, Bennet M

Yellow Card

Day

Match Officials

Referee: Richard Harrington

Assistant Referees: Lewiss Edwards, Jonathan Bebee-Bryant

Fourth Official: Bryn Markham-Jones

(Pic By John Smith/FAW)