Haverfordwest County hammer helpless Briton Ferry
Ben Ahmun struck twice as Haverfordwest County had a happy afternoon against Briton Ferry. (Pic by Lewis Mitchell/FAW)
Haverfordwest County handed out a 5-1 hammering to Briton Ferry in their penultimate game of Phase One in the Cymru Premier.
Man of the match Ben Ahumn bagged a double as the Bluebirds recovered from going behind to Tom Walters’ first-half opener. Rhys Abbruzzese, Owain Jones, and Greg Walters gave the hosts a commanding lead before Ahmun got his second just after the hour.
Haverfordwest go in to their final game of Phase One third, and seven points above Cardiff Met with their top six place confirmed. Ferry are a point adrift of safety with Newtown losing to TNS in stoppage game.
The early opportunities fell the visitor’s way, centre forward Tom Walters capitalised on a lackadaisical back pass from full Jacob Owen, and home custodian Zak Jones was alert and saved well low down.
Tyler Brock also fashioned space for himself but his shot powered over, before the Bluebirds settled into the rhythm of the game.
Marauding full-back Rhys Abburuzze had a left foot effort and on the opposite side Jacob Owen atoned for his indefinite back pass in the opening exchanges by combining well with Greg Walters and Ricky Watts. His pinpoint crosses allowing Walters to have his right foot shot saved by Will Fuller in the Reds goal.
The keeper pulling off an outstanding save to tip over a close range header from Ricky Watts. Fuller was again the saviour when he saved from Ben Ahumn just before the half-hour, Owen again the provider, Lee Jenkins collecting the game’s first yellow card from Jones following a tackle which went through the back of Walters.
It took Haverfordwest around thirty-five minutes to find their tempo, controlled inter-passing between Walters, Watts and Owen to move the game deep into the Ferry half, Abbruzzuese landing a pin-point corner into the danger zone and Owain Jones’s goal-bound header was tipped over the bar by the acrobatic Fuller.
Watts was caught in possession in front of his own eighteen-yard box and Walters took one touch to drive a right-foot bullet beyond Jones to give his side the lead 1-0. It lasted three minutes before Ben Ahumn put away a right-foot volley from ten yards from Walters’s cushioned header from Owens’s cross.
Jenkins then made an arrow into the penalty box a minute later but his pull back inches away from the on-rushing Ahumn and Kyle McCarthy.
Corey Shepherd had an early effort at the start of the second half which had the crowd of 512 on their feet. Ferry having made a double substitution at the break Jasper Payne replaced Ruben James-Davies and Caleb Demry on for Ryan Bevan.
McCarthy drove across into the penalty area in 48 minutes, Walter’s effort cleared off the left by Kian Jenkins, the resulting corner saw Abbruzzese curl a left-foot beauty from 20 yards into the bottom of Fullers net for a 2-1 lead, the goal hero then collecting a yellow card two minutes later for simulation.
Owain Jones extended the lead five minutes later, Abbruzzese clipping a ball into Ahumun and the striker set up Watts who drew space to put the ball into the stride of Jones to take the plaudits.
McCarthy, Ahumn and Walters took advantage of a disjointed visiting back line, skipper Alex Gammond hung out by his midfield, Ahumn’s twenty-yard run produced a corner and Walters capitalised to head his side 4-1 ahead.
Ahumn netted his second two minutes later as he surged through the defence and round a sprawling Fuller to put the ball into an empty net.
Tony Pennock also made two changes, Kyle Kenniford dropped into the engine room in place of Watts, and Iori Humphreys came on for Abbruzzese.
A further two changes followed as skipper Shepherd picked up a knock to be replaced by Kyle Kenniford and Jones was replaced by Harry John, the blue wave seamlessly accommodating the changes, Ryan George entering the arena on 75 minutes for Ferry skipper Gammond. Ahmun had a chance for his hat trick, Fuller rescued his side and John’s follow shot was cleared.
Home keeper Jones had little to do in the second half, saving an effort from Jamie Rickard as the game ran its course the Ferry showed pride in improving their performance whilst Pennock’s side showed how they have established themselves as top three contenders.
Haverfordwest County
Jones, Abbruzzese (Humphreys, 65), Jenkins (Rees, 76), Watts (Kenniford, 65), Shephard (C) (Kenniford, 68), McCarthy, Walters, Jones O (John, 68), Owen J, Tabone, Ahmun.
Unused substitutes: Knott, Hawkins
Goals: Ben Amun 43, 63, Rhys Abbruzzese 51, Owain Jones 55, Greg Walters 62’
Yellow Cards: Lee Jenkins 30, Rhys Abbruzzese 53, Corey Shephard 68’
Briton Ferry
Fuller, Bates, Balde, Gammond (George, 75), Brock (Dyer, 61), Walters (Hurford, 61), Davies (Payne, 45), Bevan (Demrey, 45), Owen, Rickard, Jenkins.
Unused substitutes: Wilson, Sage.
Goals: Thomas Walters 40′
Referees
Referee Bryn Markam-Jones
Assistant Referees Ian Bird & Matthew Johnson
4th Official David Morgan
Attendance: 512
