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2019/20 - 2018/19
Conygar Bridge Meadow
Attendance 206
15 Sep, 2018 - 14:30:00
Match Score : 2-1
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Haverfordwest County
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Afan Lido FC
Match Report
Welsh League, Division One HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY .. 2 AFAN LIDO .. 1
BY ROBERT NISBET
This was a hectic but exciting game, with mistakes on both sides, but the Bluebirds were deserved winners because they always set out to play quality passing football and won the game’s big moments.
The first of those big moments came in the 14th minute when, after a scrappy opening, Leon Luby jinked through on the right and cut a fine ball back across the box for BEN FAWCETT to smash it high into the net. Lido had a chance of their own big moment later in the half when their winger Noah Daley was twice sent through on the right but on each occasion it was Alaric Jones who was able to get back, outpace the winger and tackle the ball clear. Alaric had a very fine game at the heart of defence, as did Sean Pemberton who plays solidly and well so regularly that we often forget to mention it. Later in the first half both Jones and Tim Hicks hooked Lido shots off the line while at the other end a Danny Williams cross sizzled across the face of the goal just out of Fawcett’s reach.
Through this half and for most of the second the Blues continued to pass the ball around, with Elliot Scotcher as a deep-lying link man and Ricky Watts in all-action mode. They looked the more likely of the sides to get the second goal, as Lido looked more to a smash-and grab approach. But the game’s third big moment came in the 72nd minute when Steve Hall conceded a penalty but then pulled off a fine point-blank save to deny Craig Jones. The Blues were getting behind the Lido defence quite often now and both Williams and sub Jack Wilson were able to whip passes across the face of the goal just inches away from the attacking foot which might have got the touch.
But the fourth and conclusive big moment came in the 83rd minute when Scotcher’s precisely placed corner was headed on by Pemberton and WILLIAMS got the final touch on the goal-line. With a satisfactory 2-nil win seemingly grafted out the Blues experienced just a few anxious moments in injury time when they couldn’t keep a ball by the corner flag and Lido were able to race away, win a penalty for a poor tackle and for SACHA WALTERS to put the spot kick away. But it was never enough for Lido and the Bluebirds are still unbeaten and going in very much the right direction.
Next Saturday, the Blues are away to Cambrian & Clydach, before returning to the Meadow on Tuesday 25th September to play Goytre United in the 2nd round of the Nathaniel MG Cup, kick off 7.45.
Haverfordwest: Steve Hall; Leon Luby (Jack Wilson, 53); Antonio Facciuto; Sean Pemberton; Tim Hicks; Alaric Jones; Elliot Thomas; Elliot Scotcher; Ben Fawcett (Tom Dyson, 74); Danny Williams; Ricky Watts.
Subs not used: Martyn Carroll; Fraser Finlay.