Dafabet Welsh Premier

Bangor City 5

Haverfordwest County 2

The Bluebirds’ chances of making the top 10 finally disappeared as they suffered the bitter disappointment of twice fighting their way back into the game, with fine strikes by Spencer Williams and Declan Carroll, only for Bangor to restore a 2-goal advantage within three minutes.

The game overall was rather closer than the final 3-goal margin might suggest, but it was Bangor who started the more brightly. After Alex Connell had pulled off a couple of fine saves, the Citizens took thr lead in the 7th minute when Shaun Cavanagh rounded off a neat move with a crisp shot past Connell.

The Blues then began to exert a little pressure. Jason Bertorelli went through but his touch was a little clumsy. Declan Carroll, who was busy throughout, twice forced corners with stinging attacks. Unfortunately City’s very skilled keeper Connor Roberts was able to pluck the corners neatly out of the air. City’s Porya Ahmadi was foiled by Connell when he was through in a one-on-one.

Bangor scored their second goal from a free kick which Blues’ manager Wayne Jones felt was unfairly awarded. But hope was restored ten minutes later with a spectacular Blues’ goal as Spencer Williams carried the ball upfield and let rip a 30-yard shot which left Roberts no chance. But even that golden moment showed its underside just three minutes later when Bangor restored the 2-goal gap as their striker Steve ‘The Beast’ Lewis chased a speculative hoof upfield and produced a first-time chip to lob Connell.

The same pattern repeated itself early in the second half and this time it was a fine 18-yard shot from Carroll which set Blues’ hopes flickering again. And again, those hopes were dashed three minutes later when Cavanagh grabbed his second and Bangor’s fourth.

The game was now meandering towards a close, but produced the kind of depressing little incident which can mark the end-of-season feeling. Greg Walters, who had fallen foul of the Bangor crowd in the first half, took a knock, and did in fact have to be taken off amidst a measure of barracking, but not before Connell had run upfield to join in the argument and received a yellow card for dissent.

In the dying minutes sub Alfie Stottor managed a couple of tilts at the Bangor goal and the Blues forced two corners, but it was Bangor who scored another goal in the fourth minute of injury time.

It is now mathematically impossible for the Blues to make 10th place and only a problem with another team’s domestic licence can keep them in the Welsh Premier.

Haverfordwest County 1. Alex Connell, 2. Ricky Watts, 20. Spencer Williams, 6. Sam Rodon, 5. Dale Griffiths, 14. Kieran Howard, 8. Greg Walters (12. Kristian Speake 85'), 4. Sean Pemberton, 10. Declan Carroll, 25. Jason Bertorelli (23. Alfie Stottor 53'), 7. Luke Borrelli (21. Tomas Wellington 72').