Haverfordwest County took a narrow 3-1 victory over Briton Ferry in the Premier League's Regular Season round 8 on Friday evening. The hosts had to work for their points, seeing off a side that stayed competitive until the final whistle. Both teams came into the match sitting on seven points after eight games, though Haverfordwest occupy eleventh place while Briton Ferry sit just below them in twelfth.
The first half passed without incident, but the tension built as the game wore on. C. Hurford opened the scoring for the visitors in the fifty-ninth minute, and Haverfordwest had to respond. D. Hawkins equalised shortly after, before C. Shephard put the hosts ahead in the seventy-sixth minute. R. Abbruzzese sealed the result with a late goal in the eighty-fourth minute.
The match grew increasingly physical as the second half progressed. M. Bates picked up the first yellow card for Haverfordwest in the forty-ninth minute, while J. Owen and C. Hurford both went to the referee in the sixty-fifth. T. Price added another booking for the hosts in the seventieth minute, and Briton Ferry collected three yellow cards in total by full time.
Haverfordwest made three changes in the sixty-eighth minute, bringing on T. Walters, J. Hackett and C. Hurford. L. Cooper and C. Shephard were substituted later in the game, with the hosts managing to see out the remainder without further drama.
The statistics tell a story of a closely contested affair. Haverfordwest held a slight edge in possession at 51 per cent and registered ten shots on target compared to five for their opponents. They also generated more attacks, with 60 to 55, and won five corners to one. The visitors were more disciplined in attack, keeping their shots off target to just five.
Both clubs remain stuck in the middle of the table, separated only by position and not by points. Haverfordwest's win extends their unbeaten run slightly, having lost five of their previous seven matches. Briton Ferry's recent form has been difficult, with defeats in four of their last five games.