Europa Conference League: Haverfordwest County win 'important' for Welsh football
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Haverfordwest boss Tony Pennock says his side's Europa Conference League victory was an important win for the Cymru Premier.
County beat North Macedonia's Shkendija 3-2 on penalties to advance.
Victory also boosted Wales's chances of having four representatives in Europe in the forthcoming seasons.
"It's just an important thing that some of the Welsh teams do get a win here and there in the Conference League," Pennock said.
"It helps our coefficient and it keeps us having four clubs in Europe.
"We'll have four next year and hopefully if we can pick up some more wins between ourselves and TNS who knows what we can do for Welsh football.
Haverfordwest's win came after both Penybont and Connah's Quay Nomads had earlier exited the Europa Conference League at the first qualifying round stage.
Welsh champions The New Saints were knocked out of the Champions League by Sweden's Hacken and will now play in the Europa Conference League.
Cymru Premier representation in Europe had gone back up to four clubs this season after disappointing results had seen Wales lose a spot in 2022-23.
Lee Jenkins' 89th-minute strike gave Haverfordwest a 1-0 second leg win and made it 1-1 on aggregate at Cardiff City Stadium.
Extra-time could not separate the teams and in the shoot-out goalkeeper Zac Jones saved Florent Ramadani's spot kick to secure victory for County.
"I'm just so proud of the lads," Pennock told BBC Radio Wales.
"We knew we had to stay in the game as long as possible against a very good side.
"If we'd set up our usual way they'd have had too much for us and out there the boys worked so hard to keep it to 1-0 and it was the same last night.
"We knew the longer the game went on if we were still in it then we could possibly change a few things and nick something and that's exactly what happened.
"I didn't expect it to be the 89th minute - I would have preferred it to have been a bit earlier. And we fancied ourselves if it went to pens."
County had beaten Cardiff Met and Newtown on penalties in the Cymru Premier play-offs at the end of last season to qualify for Europe.
Tony Pennock was a goalkeeper with clubs including Wigan Athletic, Yeovil Town and Newport County
New Zealand-born keeper Jones was the hero in Europe as he had been in the penalty shoot-out wins in May.
"It's always the same for goalkeepers, either they're heroes or villains," added Pennock, himself a former goalkeeper.
"With Zac we know he's going to save at least one pen and he's done it consistently now.
"He does it all the time in training and matches and we always back ourselves with Zac in goal for penalties because we know he'll pull something out for us.
"It's just down to the other lads then to do their jobs and put theirs away."
County now face B36 Torshavn of Faroe Islands in the second qualifying round and Pennock said; "We'll embrace it and do all our work and prepare for it as best we can for another extremely tough test."