Bala Town 3
Haverfordwest County 2
HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY let slip a two-goal lead on Saturday as they were beaten 3-2 by Bala Town.
Due to Bala’s pitch being waterlogged, the match was switched to be played at Airbus UK’s Hollingsworth Group Stadium. It was Bala who made the better start to the game and the Bluebirds defended well. The Bluebirds also looked dangerous going forward and they took the lead with just under twenty minutes gone. Luke Borelli crossed from the byline but the ball was only cleared as far as Kieran Howard whose low shot flew into the back of the net.
The Bluebirds came close to doubling their lead soon after when Borelli’s free kick was saved by the Bala keeper and when it looked like Greg Walters might double the lead, his shot bounced back off the post and away to safety. Borelli proved a constant threat for his side and another cross across goal shortly before half time presented another chance but no one could get on the end of it. Within a minute of the restart the Bluebirds doubled their lead through Greg Walters who picked the ball up inside the Bala half before going on a mazy run and firing the ball low into the corner. Bala looked to get back into the game and six minutes later they pulled a goal back through Mike Hayes who shot low into the net after he was played in by Ryan Valentine.
With fifteen minutes to go the Lakesiders were level when a long free kick was headed into his own net by the unfortunate Sam Rodon. Four minutes later Bala were in front in fortuitous circumstances as a cross from Ryan Valentine found Ian Sheridan bounced down off the bar but onto keeper Craig Morris before bouncing over the line. The Bluebirds tried to hit back with a late leveller but it never came and Bala held on for a thrilling victory. New signings Kristian Speake and Tom Wellington both came on in the second half to make their debuts for the club and manager Wayne Jones will be looking to use their fresh legs to get the Bluebirds out of the bottom two.
Haverfordwest now face one final game on Sunday, January 17, away to Bangor and will be looking to pick up three points to give them the best chance possible when the second half of the season gets underway. Speaking after the game, manager Wayne Jones said: “We’re totally gutted, to come up here and take a twogoal lead, to see the game out and to lose 3-2 in the manner we did. “The second half was a little bit disappointing because in the first half I thought we competed but in the second half they had a real good go at us and to be fair to them they battered us in the second half and I think that was the difference.”
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