There was late heartbreak for Ammanford AFC as Haverfordwest County progressed through to the fourth round of the JD Welsh Cup via penalty kicks.
The game finished level after 90 minutes after Euros Griffiths’ goal cancelled out Ricky Watts’ opener. After every outfield player cancelled each other out from 12 yards, it took Luke Martin’s miss followed by Ifan Knott’s successful effort to separate the two sides on the day.
As expected against opposition from a league above, Haverfordwest County enjoyed the majority of the ball in the opening exchanges of the game but aside from a Alaric Jones header that was straight at Martin and a curling effort wide of the post from Ammanford local Owain Jones, Town dealt with the early threats well.
However, the breakthrough did come just before the half hour mark. A long throw wasn’t cleared allowing Watts to repeat his heroics from last year’s Welsh Cup game and open the scoring for the Bluebirds.
Despite not having large spells of possession, Ammanford did create two strong chances before the half ended and both fell to Pembrokeshire native Adam John.
The first, four minutes before the break saw him shoot inches wide of target after some sterling work from Jon Invernizzi and Lewis Reed before his deflected effort was comfortably held by Knott in the home goal.
The second period started at a much faster pace than the first and both sides created great chances to change the scoreline. For the home side, Morgan Clarke curled a ball over the bar, Nich Arnold saw a header hacked off the line and Callum Jones headed just over.
For the visitors, Owain Jones saw a pair of chances go agonisingly close for his side. The first a half volley just over the crossbar before Martin produces a stunning one handed stop to keep the deficit to just one.
As the game neared its conclusion, the top flight side nearly doubled their advantage. Substitute Ben Fawcett beat Martin and Arnold to the ball but thankfully, the latter was able to recover and clear the ball off the goal line.
The visitors were made to regret that missed opportunity as Ammanford equalised with ten to go. A corner was dropped allowing Griffiths to stab home at the far post to rapturous scenes in the stands.
The momentum was with Wyn Thomas’ men and only a superb save from Knott from an excellent effort from Reed in stoppage time saw the game go to penalties.
Both sides put on a clinic of penalty taking with Adam Orme and Ben Ahmun’s spot kicks being brilliantly stopped.
After all ten outfield players took their penalties, it turned to the keepers. Martin put his effort over the bar, allowing Knott the chance to win the game for County which he obliged to make it eight wins from the spot for Tony Pennock’s side since he took charge of the side nearly three years ago.
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Roedd hi’n brynhawn brawychus i Rhydaman ar y Maes Hamdden wrth i Hwlffordd sicrhau ei lle yn Rownd Pedwar Cwpan Cymru ar ôl ennill 9-10 o giciau o’r smotyn.
Wnaeth gôl Euros Griffiths, deg munud cyn diwedd y gêm, ganslo gôl agoriadol Ricky Watts a danfon y gêm i giciau o’r smotyn. Ar ôl mynd trwy’r tîm cyfan, roedd angen i’r golgeidwaid gymryd y ciciau, ac yn anffodus i Rhydaman, methodd Luke Martin o 12 llath a sgoriodd Ifan Knott i sicrhau lle yn y rownd nesaf i’r tîm o Sir Benfro.
Fel y disgwylwyd yn erbyn tîm o gynghrair uwch, mwynhaodd Hwlffordd y rhan fwyaf o’r bêl yn y munudau cyntaf, ond er i beniad Alaric Jones fynd yn syth at Luke Martin ac ymdrech Owain Jones, llwyddodd y tîm cartref i ddelio â phopeth yn dda.
Ond, aeth y tîm oddi cartref ar y blaen ychydig cyn yr hanner awr. Ni chafodd tafliad hir ei ddelio’n dda a saethodd Watts i gornel isaf y rhwyd, fel y gwnaeth yn y gêm rhwng y ddau dîm yn y Cwpan Cymru y llynedd.
Creodd Rhydaman ddwy gyfle da cyn yr egwyl a glaniodd y ddwy ohonynt at Adam John. Yn gyntaf, saethodd fodfedd heibio’r postyn cyn iddo gael ergyd a aeth yn syth at Ifan Knott yng nghôl yr Adar Gleision.
Dechreuodd yr ail hanner yn llawer cyflymach na’r hanner cyntaf. Creodd Rhydaman dair cyfle da yn y chwarter awr agoriadol trwy Nich Arnold, Morgan Clarke a Callum Jones.
Er hyn, roedd y gwrthwynebwyr yn beryglus hefyd a chreont ddau gyfle da trwy Owain Jones. Yn gyntaf, aeth ei folî dros y bar cyn i Luke Martin arbed yn fendigedig.
Wrth i’r gêm fynd tuag at ei diwedd, aeth y tîm o’r uwchgynghrair yn agos i ddyblu eu mantais trwy’r eilydd Ben Fawcett. Wnaeth yr ymosodwr frwydro i fyny gyda Martin ac Arnold i gael y bêl, ond yn ffodus i Rhydaman, ymatebodd Arnold yn dda a chlirio’r bêl oddi ar y llinell i gadw’r mantais i un gôl i’r gwrthwynebwyr.
Roedd tîm Tony Pennock yn teimlo’r rhwystredigaeth o golli’r cyfle yna wrth i Rhydaman unioni’r sgôr gyda deg munud i fynd. Daeth cornel o’r chwith i mewn i’r cwrt a methodd yr amddiffynwyr ddelio â’r perygl. O bedair llath allan, saethodd Griffiths ergyd i gefn y rhwyd.
Ar ôl y gôl, roedd cynffonau tîm Wyn Thomas i fyny, ac aeth Reed yn agos mewn amser ychwanegol i sicrhau buddugoliaeth enwog i’r Du a Gwyn, ond gwelodd ei ergyd yn cael ei harbed gan Knott.
Chwibanodd Bryn Markham Jones am ddiwedd y gêm ac roedd angen ciciau o’r smotyn i wahaniaethu rhwng y ddau dîm. Ar ôl i’r tîm cyfan wneud eu ciciau, heb unrhyw wahaniaeth rhwng y ddau dîm, roedd angen i’r golgeidwaid gamu i’r smotyn.
Yn anffodus, gwelodd Martin ei ymdrech yn mynd dros y bar a rhoddodd hynny’r cyfle i Knott i ennill y gêm i’r Adar Gleision, ac fe wnaeth hynny i dorri calonnau pawb yng nghornel Rhydaman.
