Hakin United 2 Goodwick United 1

CHAMPIONS Hakin United took three points off arch rivals Goodwick in a bruising physical encounter at the Obs.

Referee Brian Hawkins was kept busy throughout, handing out several yellow cards and ordering Hakin midfielder Marc Devonald off for an apparent head-butt.

In what was always going to be a tough game between Pembrokeshire's two top sides over the last few years, it was Hakin's ace striker Paul Jones who made the real difference.

Jonah bagged both goals - one from the spot and one from a classic counter-attack - to give Chris Tansey's men the win that sees them move menacingly up the table.

Goodwick started well and for the first 15 minutes were the better side, but gradually Hakin got on top and increased the pressure.

The first goal came just after the half-hour mark. Referee Hawkins had no hesitation in pointing to the spot as Paul turner broke into the Goodwick box but was felled by a lunging tackle.

Jonah stepped up to take responsibility for the spot-kick which he coolly dispatched past Goodwick keeper Darren Turner.

The first-half was splattered with free-kicks and niggling incidents as both sides showed there is certainly no love lost between them.

Hakin maintained their advantage until half-time but it was the second-half when the real fireworks began.

Just five minutes into the second 45 Devonald was given first use of the showers. The midfielder dived in after Hakin had won a free-kick and seemed to throw a head-butt in the altercation that followed.

Tempers were really frayed at this point and Goodwick boss Sean O'Connor was next to get a stern talking to from referee Hawkins.

Goodwick, with a man advantage, pushed forward in search of the equaliser but Hakin caught them with a vintage box-to-box counter-attack. A Goodwick free-kick on the edge of the Hakin penalty area was cleared powerfully by Karl Rhead to the half-way line.

Jonah picked the ball up, broke quickly and slotted his effort past Turner to double the champions' advantage.

With just under half an hour to go, the visitors threw everything at Hakin who brought everyone back to defend.

But O'Connor's men did give the champions a tense last few minutes as Ryan Thomas poked past Martin Langdon following a goalmouth scramble.

The equaliser never came and Hakin took the points from a hugely physical and entertaining battle.

Unsurprisingly there was delight and dejection from the two managers following the game. "I'm absolutely delighted" said Hakin boss Chris Tansey. "It was very, very difficult as expected from a top-of-the-table clash between the two best sides in Pembrokeshire over the last eight years.

"There was loads going on, it was 100% competitive, I really am delighted."

"After the sending off they got 10 men behind the ball and we just could not break them down" said O'Connor.

"It was a very rough game to referee and Jonah was the difference."

Hakin have now leapfrogged Goodwick into fourth place with 22 points.

Both teams have two games in hand over leaders Monkton Swifts and the title race looks to be all set to go down to the wire.

Hakin United: Martin Langdon, Sean Mills, Gary Dawes, Karl Rhead, Kristan Bennett, Gerrard Gray, Paul Jones, Paul Turner, Joff Lennon, Steve Mathias, Marc Devonald. Subs: Adam La Rosa, Martin Mathias, Nick Jones.

Goodwick United: Darren Turner, Nigel Delaney, Wayne O'Sullivan, Steve Blackford, Robert Hughes, Ryan Thomas, Dai Hayes, Chris O'Sullivan, Steve Evans, Kevin Bowen, Adam Raymond. Subs: Charlie Evans, Dan Williams.