Haverfordwest up and running in Phase Two with Bala win

Haverfordwest County got their Championship Conference campaign off to a win as they claimed a 3-2 win against Bala Town.

The Bluebirds took a two-goal lead after Dan Hawkins scored a brace and Ben Ahmun netted after Osebi Abadaki opened the scoring for the Lakesiders. Aeron Edwards scored with 10 minutes to go for the visitors, but they couldn’t find an equaliser, and also saw Nathan Peate sent off.

Tony Pennock’s men remain in third, closing the gap on Penybont to seven points, whilst maintaining an eight point lead over Cardiff Met.

HAVERFORDWEST, WALES - 25 JANUARY 2025: Haverfordwest County's Daniel Hawkins scores his 2nd goal of the game and celebrates 2-1 during the 2024/25 JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference league fixture between Haverfordwest County AFC & Bala Town FC at The Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium, Wales — HAVERFORDWEST, WALES – 25 JANUARY 2025: Haverfordwest County’s Daniel Hawkins scores his 2nd goal of the game and celebrates 2-1 during the 2024/25 JD Cymru Premier Championship Conference league fixture between Haverfordwest County AFC & Bala Town FC at The Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium, Wales. (Pic by John Smith/FAW)

Centre-half, Lee Jenkins making his hundredth appearance controlled the early exchanges, wing-backs Rhys Abbruzzese and Jacob Owen creating space for crosses which eluded frontmen Ben Fawcett and Ben Ahmun.

Joel Torrance in the visiting goal untroubled for the opening twenty minutes, before central midfielder Corey Shepard shot from fifteen yards was saved. Fawcett provided for the skipper with the shot, and Owen made strides down the right three minutes later and visiting centre half cleared away a shot from Greg Walters.

Against the run of play, Louis Robles overran Owen and his cross was headed beyond a sprawling Zak Jones, by Osebi Abadaki, the first chance the visitors had on the home goal gave them a 1-0 lead on 33 minutes.

Ahmun on 35 minutes created space for a cross and Fawcett had his header from twelve yards well saved by Torrence, Lassana Mendes striking over the bar from twenty yards as the game entered the final ten minutes of the half.

Uniss Kangbo grew in confidence as the game progressed, his overlapping run at speed putting the home side on the back foot, his defensive duties of equal importance as he was solid beside Ross White, Eddie Clarke and skipper Nathan Peate.

Abbruzzese drew a free kick and Dan Hawkins’s delivery put pressure on the far post, the resultant corner from Abbruzzese was flicked on by Walters and from a rebound via Ahmun, Hawkins volleyed in from six yards to equalise on 44 minutes.

The second half followed the same pathway with the home side dominant. Owen’s searching ball three minutes into the half found Fawcett and the diminutive front man turned tightly to create space but his shot from 20 yards arrowed over the bar. Edwards and Eddie Clarke combined for Bala but the latter’s free kick in 50 minutes didn’t trouble Jones goal.

Fawcett had a header saved on the hour by Torrance after he combined well with the pivotal Walters and Owen. Five minutes later Hawkins drilled in his second of the game to give his side a 2-1 lead. His crisp right foot strike from the edge of the box came after Abbruzzese made ground to deliver a pin point cross to Fawcett, who graciously set up the space for Hawkins.

Man of the match Abbruzzese showed his composure and football understanding to be a constant outlet for his side and rarely delivered a poor ball, the Bluebirds scored on 70 minutes as a long free kick from Luke Tabone found its way to frontman Ahumn who cooly buried his effort from 15 yards to make it 3-1.

Bala enjoyed a period of pressure without causing corner for Haverfordwest, Tony Pennock making a change as Owain Jones replaced goal scorer Ahumn with fifteen minutes to play, Colin Caton making a triple switch as Geroge Newell was replaced by Joe Malkin, Mendes replaced by Dan Malone and goal scorer Abadaki replaced by Callum Edwards.

With ten to play, Edwards drew the game back to 3-2 as he found space at the far post and placed the ball beyond an advancing Jones.

Bala had their tails up and Nathan Burke had a left foot volley from twenty yards which just cleared the crossbar, Tabone and Jenkins strongly imposing themselves on the game to keep the home ship water tight.

Humphreys creating an opportunity at the other end that Fawcett couldn’t direct beyond Torrance. Peate was dismissed with five minutes to play as he made a crunching late tackle on Walters on the halfway line leaving referee Markham-Jones with little option but to bring out the red card, a yellow furnished for dissent to Burke for his protest.