HAVERFORDWEST County's aspirations in the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round were brought to a halt in a contentious and fiery encounter against Maltese side Floriana.

Despite a spirited start, the Welsh club, reduced to nine men by the end, ultimately succumbed to a 3-2 defeat at Parc y Scarlets, resulting in a 5-3 aggregate victory for Floriana.

Facing a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, Haverfordwest began with impressive vigor, dominating the initial stages of the match.

Their efforts quickly paid off, with Greg Walters finding the net from a corner and Ben Ahmun adding a stylish finish, momentarily swinging the aggregate advantage in their favor.

However, the early jubilation for Haverfordwest soon unraveled into a night of frustration, marked by the dismissals of manager Tony Pennock and two of his players.

Floriana swiftly responded, pulling a goal back through Carlo Lonardelli's deflected shot.

The turning point before halftime arrived when Alaric Jones, already booked for an earlier challenge, received a second yellow card for an outstretched arm in the box, leading to a penalty after Mustapha Jan went down.

Jake Grech calmly converted the spot-kick, giving Floriana a 4-3 aggregate lead at the break.

The second half brought no respite for Haverfordwest.

Ahmun came close with a shot that struck the outside of the post, but the team's woes continued when manager Pennock was sent to the stands for kicking the ball away.

Charles M'Mombwa then sealed the result for Floriana with a sharp turn and finish.

Adding to Haverfordwest's misery, Rhys Abbruzzese became the second player to be sent off in stoppage time, both bookings seemingly stemming from the County's mounting frustration.

A significant point of contention for Haverfordwest was the penalty incident, echoing a similar dubious spot-kick that had contributed to Floriana's victory in the first leg nine days prior.