Two goals in two minutes earn win for Old Gold

Haverfordwest County 1 

Carmarthen Town 2

CARMARTHEN completed their pre-season programme with a narrow victory over old rivals Haverfordwest after a competitive and often feisty encounter, which presented a suitably stern test for the Old Gold ahead of their opening match of the Welsh Premier League season. 

From the outset, Town took the initiative with a series of brisk raids that put the home defence under early pressure. However, it was not until the eighth minute that they fashioned a serious scoring opportunity when Kyle Bassett made ground down the right flank and played the ball across the edge of the penalty area, where Lewis Harling slipped neatly past his marker and struck a crisp drive that was denied by keeper Wyn Walters with a smart full-length save.

During this spell, County were limited to only occasional counter-attacks, none of which made any real impression on the visitors’ defence, in which the towering central pairing of Dwaine Bailey and Lee Surman were, throughout the match, a particularly commanding presence.

In fact, the hosts had to wait 22 minutes before they managed to get into the Carmarthen penalty area and create a scoring chance; a long cross-field pass from Luke Harris reached Kristian Speake near the far post but he directed his header wide of the goal.

The Old Gold continued to enjoy the greater share of possession and territorial advantage, yet, all too often, they spoilt promising approach play with an indecisive ‘final pass’.

However, they went close to taking the lead on 29 minutes when Bassett sent a well-flighted corner into the packed goalmouth to find Liam Thomas, whose deft glancing header from 10 yards flew past Walters but also, sadly, went narrowly wide of the post.

By now, Haverfordwest were looking much more of a threat on the counter-attack and after 31 minutes, rather against the run of play, they opened the score. Following Chris O’Sullivan’s corner, Ashley Bevan emerged from a crowd of players to send his close-range header beyond the reach of keeper Lee Idzi and into the back of the net.

Stung by that setback, Town again pressed forward, now with even greater urgency, driven by the midfield industry and invention of Harling, Ceri Morgan, Kieran Lewis and Declan Carroll.

Faced by a resilient County defence and with Walters demonstrating assured and safe handling under pressure, the visitors were unable to create any notable goal threat until the 47th minute when Lewis fired a diagonal free-kick deep into the penalty area where Matthew Thomas, from a sharp angle, struck a fierce volley fractionally wide of the post.

After the interval, the Old Gold renewed their assault on the home defence and on 50 minutes, they went close to equalising when Harling’s astute pass put Carroll in clear space and from 20 yards he dispatched a rasping drive that Walters was well placed to claim.

Just moments later, Town produced a sparkling 90 second spell which turned the game around. In the 53rd minute, Lewis played an excellent through balla to Matthew Thomas who quickly moved forward to the corner of the penalty area and released a stunning angled shot that flew past Walters and into the back of the net.

Shortly after the re-start, Carroll, clearly relishing this opportunity to compete against his former County teammates, showed keen anticipation to race into the penalty area and dart between two less alert defenders to reach a long cross from the right flank then plant his firm close-range header beyond the keeper’s reach.

While the visitors continued to hold the initiative, Haverfordwest remained a threat on the counter-attack and after 62 minutes, Tom Wellington sent a searching free-kick into the packed goalmouth only to see Bevan fire the ball just wide from close range.

On 65 minutes, Liam Thomas collected a long clearance from Dave Vincent then raced forward down the right flank before driving a dangerous cross into the goalmouth where Mark Jones, under pressure from a defender, stabbed the ball narrowly wide.

During the second-half, the Carmarthen defence was so relatively secure that Idzi was rarely tested. However, in the 68th minute, Rhys Dalling took advantage of some hesitancy in the back-line to break through to the edge of the penalty area and drill a low shot that drew an impressive reflex save from Town’s experienced keeper.

Then Carroll again went close after 72 minutes when, having won a free-kick some 25 yards from goal, he stepped up to power the ball just fractionally over the bar.

In the 83rd minute, a slick exchange of passes between Carroll and Jones on the edge of the penalty area opened up the County defence and allowed the lively midfielder to hit a smart close-range effort that was blocked on the line by substitute keeper Sam Franklin.

So, after a fairly successful pre-season campaign, albeit against mainly Welsh League Division One opposition, the Old Gold now look forward to the start of their WPL season on Saturday (Aug 13 k/o 5.15pm – match due to be televised live on S4C) when they entertain Gap Connah’s Quay at Richmond Park.