Welsh Premier Word Cup Round 1
Haverfordwest County 0 – Aberdare Town 3
Aberdare Town striker Sam Small scored a superb hat-trick in the first half to earn his side a comfortable passage into the next round at the expense of shell-shocked Haverfordwest County.
The Bluebirds reached the quarter-final of the Welsh Premier Cup last season, but football can be a ‘funny old game’ as they crashed out in the first round on the Conygar Bridge Meadow.
The Bluebirds piled on the early pressure and were guilty of not taking their scoring opportunities, and boy did they pay for it in the next half hour as they conceded three goals without reply.
Joe Leahy struck a 20-yard drive straight at Aberdare goalkeeper Tom Bradley. Jack Christopher struck
a low shot wide of the target and Steffan Williams missed with a glorious chance, the midfielder heading a Jack Britton cross over the bar when he really should have scored from just six yards out.
Against run of play
Against the run of play the visitors took the lead in the 16th minute as striker Small drilled a low shot in the far corner and the big striker added a second in the 31st minute. The Bluebirds defence were caught napping as Small drilled home from eight yards.
Small completed his hat-trick in 40th minute, the striker once again deadly inside the box as his low shot came off the side of keeper Chris Curtis but still found the back of the net. Small could have added a fourth but his shot hit the foot of the post after good work by Richard Evans.
The Bluebirds tried hard to battle back after the break but they were unable to take chances that fell to Jack Christopher and young sub Liam Fawcett and the mist that shrouded the Conygar Bridge Meadow summed up the Bluebirds’ disappointing performance after three good league results.
Christopher picked up a needless second yellow card late on and was sent off for an early shower by referee Brian James, summing up the Bluebirds' cup nightmare.
Haverfordwest County: Chris Curtis; Ricky Watts; Antonio Faccuito; Sam Roden; Dale Griffiths (Captain); Sean Pemberton; Steffan Williams; Jack Britton; Joe Leahy; Jack Christopher; Ritchie Lewis. Substitutes: Ashley Curtis; Greg Walters; Liam Fawcett; Owen Coombes.
Aberdare Town: Tom Bradley; Lee Williams; Phil Clark; Scott Woodford; Aaron Jewel; Richard Evans; Jamie Bradford; Lewis Holder; Sam Small; Richard French; Lewis Hitchcock. Substitutes: Lee Duke; Mitchel Lincham; Shaun Chapel; James Simpson; Sam Denby.
Referee: Brian James.
Assistants: Phil Thomas & Daniel Beckett.
Fourth Official: Eddie King.