Ten-man Nomads crash out

11:59am Thursday 8th January 2009

Neyland 2
Haverfordwest County 4

Haverfordwest County came twice from behind to dump ten-man Neyland out of the Senior Cup.

Neyland central defender Mark Edwards probably cost his side this cup-tie with a moment of sheer madness when his team were one-goal ahead.

The player/manager needlessly got embroiled in a heated exchange with Matthew Ellis and gave referee Sean O’Connor little choice but to red card Edwards.

Down to ten-men the Nomads did hold onto a slender one-goal cushion at the break, on a firm, but definitely playable surface when so many games were called off with pitches frozen.

But come the second period, they found it increasingly difficult to contain the visitors now playing down the slope with a numerical advantage.

Simon Morgan opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, a well-weighted Wayne Parry through ball left Morgan to beat keeper Geraint Nicholas at the second attempt.

In the second period the visitors equalised, some sloppy defending presented teenager Ross Grey with the opportunity to find the bottom right-hand corner of Gareth Lawlor’s net.

Minutes later and Nomads restored the lead as Paul Hannon’s wicked edge-of-the-area free kick rebounded into the path of Adam La Rosa, and the latter gobbled up the opportunity.

But the Nomads began to tire and the visitors’ one-man advantage started to present them with more scoring chances.

Nomads’ keeper Gareth Lawlor failed to gather a ball on the edge of his own 18-yard box, a real howler, allowing substitute Brett Evans to score a soft equaliser.

The visitors now brimming with confidence scored two late goals to seal the Nomads’ poor cup fate.

Matthew Ellis scoring with a peach of a 12-yarder, and striker Mike Preddy rounded Lawlor to wrap-up the tie.

Haverfordwest County’s reward for winning this tie is a tough quarter-final clash against either Clarbeston Road or Merlins Bridge – they play each other this coming Saturday.

Neyland: Gareth Lawlor, Jarred Campbell, Mark Edwards, Nathan Warlow, Sean Hannon, Adam La Rosa, Wayne Parry, Paul Hannon, Simon Morgan, Shane Phillips, Craig Power. Subs: Andrew Kemp, Rhys Blain, Patrick Hannon.

Haverfordwest County: Geraint Nicholas, Gethin Roberts, Nicky Squires, Anthony Roberts, Dave Rees, Lloyd Wilson, Ross Grey, Matthew Ellis, Dai Davies, Matthew Court, Mike Preddy. Sub: Morgan Whitaker, Jason Clarke, Brett Evans.

Referee: Sean O’Connor.