Haverfordwest County 4

Westfields FC 1

It was an afternoon of real promise on the Conygar Bridge Meadow as a Bluebirds squad of 17 players comfortably took the measure of a good Midlands side in the first half and over-ran them in the second.

The Blues went ahead in the 15th minute when striker Jordan Follows darted through on to a good ball from Jack Britton and drilled in his second pre-season goal. The Bluebirds were looking increasingly composed at this stage, with midfielders Britton, Sean Pemberton, Elliott Thomas and Nicky Palmer scheming constantly and with wing-backs Ricky Watts and Antonio Facciuto always ready to snap into touchline breaks. Britton did in fact have the ball in the net after 20 minutes, converting a Facciuto cross, but he was ruled offside.

After Follows took a knock, the first touch of replacement Greg Walters was a fierce 20-yard left-foot shot which had the keeper stretching. But after 44 minutes of Blues pressure, Westfields were able to equalise right on half-time when the otherwise immaculate Blues defence seemed to doze for about the only time in the match and Jamie Cuss ducked low to nod in a cross at the far post.

The Blues brought on all six subs during the second half and there were many fine displays to give Wayne Jones a pleasing selector’s headache for the league games to come. Declan Carroll, playing just behind the strikers, had a particularly good game and there was a very fine last half-hour from Academy winger Laurie Haworth.

Also prominent was forward Sam Wilson who shot against the post twice in the course of five minutes, before Ricky Watts gave the Blues the lead with one of the most athletic goals seen on the Meadow for a very long time, leaping to collect Carroll’s through ball and crashing in his shot. The Westfields defence seemed to be feeling the pressure by now and some of their tackling was causing a few ruffled feathers. The referee seemed to have decided that a friendly was not an occasion for yellow cards but had to step in several times, in Pembrokeshire phrase, to “have a word”.

Carroll was again instrumental in the third goal when his through ball sent Wilson in to score the goal his performance deserved. The fourth goal was another beauty as Liam Fawcett made a superb run down the right to cross. Wilson headed back across the box where Palmer drove in. Westfields had the briefest of rallies in the 89th minute but were foiled by a successive tip-over and punch by reserve keeper Dan Evans.

The next friendly is on Saturday, August 2 at home to Barry Town, kick-off 2.30pm.

Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Antonio Facciuto, Sam Rodon, Dale Griffiths, Sean Pemberton, Jack Britton, Nicky Palmer, Liam Fawcett, Jordan Follows, Elliott Thomas. Subs: Dan Evans (g/k), Declan Carroll, Sam Wilson, Phil Cattlin, Greg Walters, Laurie Haworth.