HAVERFORDWEST County are back in Europe after they produced a polished performance to see off Caernarfon Town 3-1 in the JD Cymru Premier European play-off final at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium on Sunday.

Earlier in the week, captain Dylan Rees said that the Bluebirds must not take home advantage for granted and that it would be massive for the club and for Pembrokeshire as a whole if they clinched a third continental qualification in their history.

And they did just that to the delight of the majority of the 1,700 crowd.

Manager Tony Pennock said: “I’m so chuffed, I thought the boys were excellent.

“Credit to Caernarfon, they’ve had a long season and maybe it was one game too many for them in the end.

“We started really well and I thought Caernarfon looked a bit tired early, the heat didn’t help today for both teams but I just felt we were the fresher of the two teams and I think that showed today.”

He added: “We’re better prepared going into Europe this time than we were two years ago. We learned a lot from that experience as a club, as players, as staff and I’m looking forward to a trip to Geneva with the chairman again.”

The Bluebirds shaped up as the better side from the first whistle with Rhys Abbruzzese going close with an early effort from distance which diverted off Blaine Hudson’s head for a corner.

And they took the lead on 17 minutes, Corey Shephard given way too much time and space to stride into the Caernarfon box and his cross-cum-shot was turned in by Ben Ahmun.

Dan Hawkins went close after a flowing team move but made no mistake on the half hour with a driven finish which beat Ben Hughes at his near post after Abbruzzese’s probing pass was turned into his path via a deft touch by Owain Jones.

Caernarfon’s chances were few and far between in the first half, the best falling to Josh Lock after good work by Adam Davies but his shot towards the far post was blocked.

The woodwork came to the Bluebirds’ aid in the second half when Davies’ well-struck effort crashed off the post.

Shephard missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 when clean through on goal but Ahmun did a better job from a similar position in the closing stages with a clinical finish past Hughes.

Louis Lloyd finished from an outrageous angle after home keeper Zac Jones raced off his line to pull one back for the Canaries but it was the Bluebirds’ day.