Taffs Well make Haverfordwest pay the penalty as Bluebirds made to rue profligacy
Taffs Well knocked Haverfordwest County of the Nathaniel MG Cup by defeating them on penalties at Rhiw’r Ddar.
Dylan Rees and Jack Wilson missed decisive spot-kicks as the Wellmen successfully converted theirs to win 4-3 on penalties.
Ethan Cann had opened the scoring for Taffs Well in the first-half but Wilson scored with a long-distance effort to tie up the game before entering penalties.
Craig Sampson’s side take their place in the quarter-finals alongside Ammanford and Afan Lido as the two other Cymru South teams to defeat Cymru Premier opposition.
The hosts started the stronger of the two sides with Josh Allen and Jan Maertins working well off of one another.
Haverfordwest had the first meaningful opportunity and had a penalty appeal for handball turned down. A corner-kick evaded everyone but Jordan Davies at the back-post was denied on the line.
Taffs were put under pressure again as Jack Wilson made a bursting run down the left flank, breaking into the box but Edward King blocked with his leg.
Taffs had their own chance to trouble the keeper as Ethan Cann laced a shot at the returning Lee Idzi, who tipped the shot over the bar.
Another chance went begging for Haverfordwest as Ben Fawcett worked his way down the flank but he could only drag his cross-cum-shot wide.
Haverfordwest rued their missed chance as Well went in front in fine fashion. A neat ball was flicked through to Cann who curled his shot home from close range.
In search of an immediate response, Wilson thundered a shot at King which he saved, clawing it only to Ryan George who headed against the crossbar.
Haverfordwest continued to pepper the home goal but missed the chance to draw level as Wilson’s open-goal attempt deflected wide of the target.
It was a relatively slow start to the second period but Taffs Well nearly doubled their advantage but for the woodwork. Jamie Owen’s strike from outside the box deflected and beat Idzi but it cannoned off the post and no one was there to meet the rebound.
A moment of brilliance put Haverfordwest back on level terms. Wilson broke down his flank and let fly a strike from 25-yards that landed perfectly into the corner of the goal.
The goal inspired Haverfordwest into a spell of dominance but in multiple games they missed the target. Rhys Abbruzzese, introduced from the bench, dragged his shot wide from an tight angle. Fawcett returned the same outcome moments later but he was in a more centralised position, spurning a good opportunity.
Entering the last ten minutes, Haverfordwest missed another golden opportunity. Harri John played a ball into Davies but the striker shot over the bar despite the goal at his mercy.
King pulled off some goalkeeping heroics late on, first denying Fawcett after curling a shot from a tight angle before denying Harri John on the rebound by tipping his six-yard shot over the bar.
Neither side could get that elusive second goal which resulted in spot-kicks.
Rees stepped forward first but King guessed right and denied him. Riccardo Mackenzie powerfully struck his penalty home, as did Jamie Owen, Jan Maertins and Marcus Jones.
Davies, Scotcher and Fawcett converted theirs but Wilson’s attempt could only cannon off the post, resulting in joy for the lower-league outfit.
Taffs Well: Edward King, Vaughn Fowler, Adam Ward (Danny Hooper, 90+1), Riccardo Mackenzie, Scott Hillman, Joe Shephard, Jamie Owen, Josh Allen (Harry Treharne, 69), Jan Maertins, Marcus Jones (C), Ethan Cann (Brandon Griffiths, 85)
Goals: Ethan Cann 23′
Penalties: Mackeznie O, Owen O, Maertins O, Jones O
Haverfordwest County: Lee Idzi, Ryan George (Rhys Abbruzzesse, 58), Dylan Rees (C), Lee Jenkins, Iori Humphreys. Jack Wilson, Elliot Scotcher, Harri John, Jamie Veale, Jordan Davies, Ben Fawcett.
Goals: Jack Wilson 63′
Penalties: Rees X, Davies O, Scotcher O, Fawcett O, Wilson X
