Pre-Season Friendly
Brewery Field, Bridgend
Admission: £5.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 400 (estimate)
Being in South Wales on a business trip anyway, I originally favoured a visit to Ammanford AFC, which would be very close to where I would be ending my working day. But that would be their first pre-season fixture, against a team from the Carmarthernshire League, and when it was confirmed that Penybont would be playing this game at a venue not usually used for football, and both team playing were at an advanced stage in their preparations for their European Conference League fixtures next week, I decided to take in this game instead.
The Brewery Field, usual home of Bridgend Ravens Rugby Club, is located just to the north of Bridgend town centre, and with only one length of the ground officially open for this evening's game, access was gained through a turnstile next to a small ticket office building, where either tickets could be purchased or pre-purchased tickets were scanned. A fairly old-fashioned 1,100 capacity all-seater stand is located along this length. This evening, a lot of people stood at ground level behind the pitchside railing but presumably this will not be allowed for their Europa Conference game next Thursday. The other three sides were out of bounds tonight (as they will be next week), with a terrace covered by an old fashioned stand between corner flags, while the other length has an impressive structure, with quite a large bank of terracing, and a row of hospitality boxed above, with a high roof to the stand. The remaining end just has grass, apart from a tarmac lane passing some way behind. It is quite an impressive ground, mixing a traditional sports ground feel with some modern facilities, but it is a shame that UEFA rules dictate that only one side, the seated area, can be used in the European games. Surprisingly, no refreshments whatsoever were available to buy this evening.
This was quite an attractive game, with both sides finalising their preparations for their upcoming Europa Conference ties next week, when Penybont will be hosting Andorran side Saint Coloma in the first leg of their Europa Conference tie, while Haverfordwest will travel to Slovenia to face KF Shkëndija in their first leg. Penybont finished last season in third place in the Cymru Premier, thereby directly qualifying for the Europa Conference League 1st Qualifying Round, while Haverfordwest were certainly the outsiders in qualifying, having finished in seventh place in last season's Cymru Premier, as the top team in the bottom half following the mid season split, and then won the Europa Conference League Play-offs, beating Cardiff Metropolitan University, and then Newtown, both times in penalty shoot-outs.
On a mostly overcast but warm evening, with the sun occasionally breaking through the clouds. the game was originally supposed to kick off at 19.30, but without any announcements, the game actually started at 19.45. In all honesty, this was not a game that will live long in the memory, and although Haverfordwest probably shaded possession in the first half, it was Penybont who had the stand out chances. First, on 24 minutes, an inswinging cross to the back post was awkwardly headed just over his own bar by a Haverfordwest defender, and then on 43 minutes, a shot from the edge of the area came back off the left hand post, bounced off of the keeper, but at an awkward height, the Penybont forward could only scoop his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
The second half continued in a similar pattern, although it was Haverfordwest who had the best two chances to break the deadlock. First on 63 minutes, an inswining cross was headed powerfully towards goal from close range, but the keeper pulled off a stunning reflex save to keep the ball out. And then on 76 minutes, the ball was played to the edge of the area, and the shot was blazed over the bar. A goalless draw was looking a certainty, which would have reflected a pretty dull game, until Penybont broke the deadlock in the 89th minute when an inswining cross to the back post was met with a downward header from close range to see the bounce ball down and over the line.
So, another good work out for both sides, although both will probably be concerned about their lack of cutting edge going into their European ties.
Penybont: Kelland Absalom (Alex Pennock 65), Kane Owen (Mark Little 72), Ashley Evans (Jack Carson 65), Dan Jefferies, Mael Davies (Lewis Taylor 63), Billy Borge (Keyon Reffill 63), Lewis Clutton (Ryan Reynolds 72), Kostya Georgievsky, Lewis Harling, Luke Sylvester, Teejay Vickery (Jack Shaw 72).
Haverfordwest County: Zac Jones, Kayden Williams-Lowe (Harri John 60), Iori Humphreys (Lucas Davis 70), Jazz Richards, Oscar Borg, Rhys Abbruzzese (Rio Dyer 60), Tyrese Owen (Jak Wilson 60), Kai Whitmore, Dan Hawkins, Ben Fawcett, Martell Taylor-Crossdale (Lucas Jenkins 76).
Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here
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