By David Parsons
Haverfordwest County beat Newtown 4-3 on penalties to win the JD Cymru Premier European play-off final at Latham Park and book a place in the first qualifying round of the 2023-2024 UEFA Europa Conference League.
Newtown’s Aaron Williams, who had levelled in normal time, saw his penalty saved by Zac Jones and Henry Cowans missed the target with his.
It had been Jones’ heroics in the semi-final at Cardiff Met, when he saved three penalties, that took the Bluebirds through to the final.
Dave Jones then saved from Haverfordwest’s Ben Fawcett, but Corey Shephard made no mistake to win it for the Bluebirds as the sun set on the Cymru Premier season.
Tony Pennock’s men join The New Saints, Connah’s Quay Nomads and Penybont in dusting off their passports as they secured the club’s first European adventure since 2004.
Haverfordwest goalkeeper Zac Jones, who was the hero in the Bluebirds’ semi-final shootout victory over Cardiff Met at Cyncoed Campus, was on top form again for the visitors last night.
But he was almost embarrassed after just 12 seconds when his kick was charged down by Aaron Williams and the goalkeeper was relieved to see the ball cannon behind for a goal-kick.
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After that frantic start, the game settled down into a tight contest between two evenly matched teams.
It looked like it would take a mistake or a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock.
And it was the latter, on 24 minutes, that did the trick as Newtown captain Craig Williams miscued a clearance and succeeded only in teeing up Jordan Davies to hook the ball in from close range.
Craig Williams made amends 14 minutes later, however, as his perfectly judged cross from the right was headed in at the far post by Aaron Williams.
The hosts started the second half on the front foot and Zac Jones produced a smart stop to deny Zeli Ismail two minutes after the restart, before Nick Rushton fired over the top.
But it was Haverfordwest who carried the most threat after that. Dan Hawkins fired wide from 25 yards before Pennock brought on Ricky Watts for Oscar Borg, and his side pushed forward with renewed energy.
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Davies was only denied a second goal by a brilliant block from Ryan Sears on the hour, and he was inches away from converting a Jack Wilson cross four minutes later.
And Wilson wasted a golden opportunity 16 minutes from time as he somehow missed the target from eight yards out after a superb ball into the box from Henry Jones.
But the Bluebirds were thankful to Rhys Abbruzzese for a brilliant covering tackle to prevent a stoppage-time winner from Ismail and take the tie into extra time.
Haverfordwest had the better of the extra 30 minutes but neither side could find a winner and it was the Bluebirds who were celebrating after the shootout.