Briton Ferry's difficult start to the Cymru Premier season continued with a fourth consecutive defeat, losing 3-1 away to Haverfordwest County on Friday night. The visitors led through Corey Hurford just before the hour mark but were undone by a rapid fifteen-minute collapse in the second half.
A lead that slipped away
Corey Hurford gave Briton Ferry a surprise advantage against the run of play in the 59th minute, stunning the home crowd of 586. The goal offered hope of ending a poor run of form, but the lead lasted only eleven minutes. Haverfordwest's equaliser came from a long throw by Jack Walker that deflected into the path of Dan Hawkins, who finished from close range in the 70th minute. The home side's momentum was immediate, and they took the lead six minutes later when Corey Shepherd found the net.
The match was put beyond doubt with six minutes of normal time remaining. Substitute Ben Ahmun, introduced alongside Jack Wilson just before the equaliser, drove at the defence and set up Rhys Abbruzzese for the third goal. Ahmun had already drawn a save from Ferry goalkeeper Will Fuller moments earlier. The three-goal blitz turned the game completely on its head and sealed a comeback victory for the hosts.
A familiar pattern
The result leaves Briton Ferry 12th in the Premier League table with seven points from eight games, having scored six goals and conceded fifteen. Their recent form reads one win and four defeats from their last five outings, a sequence that includes losses to Airbus UK, Barry Town, Cardiff MET and now Haverfordwest. The team created very little during a quiet opening period where Haverfordwest pressed high, and key players like Tom Walters, Tom Price and Ryan George found themselves increasingly isolated or with little time on the ball.
Midfielder Kyle Kenniford was a bright spot, providing energy and effectiveness in the centre of the park. Goalkeeper Ifan Knott, playing for the opposition, was called upon to make saves from Walters and Ryan George, who was booked for pulling back Jacob Owen. Hurford himself received a yellow card minutes after scoring, in an incident that also saw Haverfordwest's Jacob Owen cautioned.
Looking ahead
Manager Craig Griffiths now faces the task of halting this slide ahead of the next fixture, a home match against sixth-placed Llandudno on October 30. The team must find a way to convert promising spells into results and tighten up a defence that has been breached fifteen times this campaign. Fans can check the full schedule on the club's fixtures page and see how the table shapes up in the standings. The search for consistency and points becomes increasingly urgent as the season progresses.
