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For the third week in a row, Haverfordwest County AFC Women played away from home. This week they travelled to Cardiff to play Caerau Ely FC Women, in what was their second league game.
The home team won the toss and took kick-off, but Haverfordwest County were the first to create a chance. In the 2nd minute, a clearance from Ella Pearce forced the home team into action early. Once they had brought the ball down, Ffion Kirk intercepted it and made a darting run into the box, but her shot was safely held by Caerau Ely's goalkeeper.
Following on from that chance, Haverfordwest County continued their attacking momentum and largely kept the home team defending for the opening stages. In the 14th minute, a long ball found Kayla Jones, who warded off the defender and made a break for the box. She got one-on-one with the keeper but narrowly put it wide.
In the following minute, great pressing from the Haverfordwest County midfield won the ball back from a Caerau Ely goal kick. Lily Owen picked it up and played a ball in between the defender and the full-back to Ffion Kirk, who slotted it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-0 to Haverfordwest County.
Caerau Ely had their first chance of the game with a promising shot from the edge of the box in the 17th minute, but goalkeeper Jessica Rees got down low to save it. After the Haverfordwest County goal, Caerau Ely flipped the game on its head and were in control from that point on. In the 27th minute, after a short break in play for an injured Caerau Ely player, they scored from a corner. Caerau Ely's number 11 crossed it into a crowded six-yard box and Jessica Rees tried to punch it away, but she could only send it into a swarm of players, where, after some scrambling, it found the net to make it 1-1. The goal was given against Rees, although it looked like a Caerau Ely player had the last touch.
Soon after, in the 30th minute, Lily Owen spun away from a defender and made a run down the right wing. She played in a low, driven cross, but the Caerau Ely goalkeeper reacted fast, dived low and intercepted it. The next 10 minutes showed great play from both teams as they tried to take the lead before half-time, and Caerau Ely came close. In the 41st minute, brilliant individual play from Caerau Ely's number 11 took her past the defence and she got a shot off, but it only resulted in a great save from Jessica Rees. Directly from the resulting corner, Caerau Ely made it 2-1. Number 11 played in the cross and it was met by a glancing header from their number 8, who scored.
Going into half-time, the score was 2-1 to Caerau Ely, who had completely changed the game after going 1-0 down in the 15th minute.
In the 50th minute, Caerau Ely had their first chance of the second half when substitute number 3 rolled off the Haverfordwest County defender, but her shot was comfortably held by Jessica Rees.
In the 52nd minute, Haverfordwest County scored to make it 2-2. After relentless pressing from Ffion Kirk, she won the ball back on the edge of the home team's box and passed it into the area for Kayla Jones, who took a touch and then scored.
The next 20 minutes of the match were intense for both teams, as both looked to take the lead. It was a very tactical match, with both sides playing smart football. The highlight, by far, was Haverfordwest County substitute Jasmine Bramhall-Thomas, who immediately linked up with Lily Owen. Owen played some great passes into space for the winger, which unfortunately did not lead to more.
Then, in the 76th minute, after some good wing play from Caerau Ely, their number 3 cut in and tried to square it to the striker, but Bethan Chapman got there first and cleared it away.
In the 86th minute, Caerau Ely scored to make it 3-2. Their midfield played some great passing and got the ball into the box, where number 18 took a shot that deflected slightly off one of the defenders and, fortunately for the home team, ended up in the back of the net.
In the dying embers of the game, Haverfordwest County's Kayla Jones intercepted a pass high up the pitch and was seemingly through on goal, but she was brought down by a last-ditch tackle from a Caerau Ely defender. The tackle appeared to deny a clear goalscoring opportunity, but the referee stood firm, awarding a free kick and showing the defender no card at all.
The following free kick was taken by Lily Owen from 30 yards out. It was struck with some conviction but narrowly sailed over the crossbar, marking the last chance of the game before the referee blew for full time.
The final score was 3-2 to Caerau Ely, but the game was well fought between two sides who showed no quit and played their best until the last minute. Sadly, it wasn't to be for Haverfordwest County, but they will look to bounce back at home next Sunday when they play Penydarren BGC Women in the reverse fixture.
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