Second win on the trot for Bluebirds (From Western Telegraph)

Second win on the trot for Bluebirds

Haverfordwest County 2 PORT TALBOT TOWN 1

This was never going to be a pretty game, but the bonding Bluebirds played with a passion and determination that sent a crowd of over 400 away delighted, after one of the most invigorating displays on the Bridge Meadow for a while.

We had the first home win this year, the second win on the bounce, and the first leap up out of the relegation places.

Deryn Brace gave a debut, on the right side of midfield, to Simon Truman, signed in the week from Cinderford Town, and again played three strikers, with Gareth Barton replacing the injured Chris Miller.

The James Williams-sponsored Bluebirds took the game to Port Talbot from the start and were desperately close to going into a fifth-minute lead when Richie Adams couldn't quite get on the end of a Rhys Griffiths cross. It rapidly became clear that the triple strike force was going to pose a few problems.

Griffiths, often the scorer of good and important goals, has improved his all-round game enormously lately, and he and Barton ran strongly and dangerously at the Talbot defence, well supported by the clever first touch of Richie Adams.

The midfield were in fine form, with Colin Loss' dead-ball expertise a real threat, Adie Harris totally fired up, and Wayne Jones looking dangerous on the left.

The defence, apart from one ten-minute spell around the half-hour mark, looked very assured, with Rob Jones now getting better each game, and Chiverton and Brace fiercely competitive.

The lead came in the 22nd minute and it was a dead-ball special. Adams won a free kick to the left of the penalty area, 'Lossie' floated in a beautifully-weighted kick and Barton thumped his header in from six yards.

The Blues then had a wobbly ten minutes and, following a corner, Rob Folland was able to bury his header from close range. Two more Loss free kicks threatened Talbot, and in between them Lee Kendall pulled off one absolutely blinding save.

In the 55th minute Port Talbot's Russell Wigley was sent off for his second bookable offence, and the Bluebirds sensed that this was make-or-break time.

Yet another Loss free kick caused chaos in the box, and Truman was desperately near to getting the final touch. The winning goal came however in the 68 minute.

Griffiths did very well to wrest the ball from two covering defenders before getting to the bye-line and squaring a ball which Barton pounded in from eight yards.

Barton might have had his hat-trick in the 74th minute, when he couldn't quite get to a Wayne Jones cross. Jones headed over from a Loss corner, and a beautiful chip through from Truman saw Griffiths' shot going dangerously close.

And then we were on to the last desperate minutes as the visitors came flailing forwards and a massed Blues defence held firm. The next game will be crucial, as County travel to Welshpool on Saturday, April 5th.

The club will probably run a supporters' bus to this one. Interested fans can ring the club any morning between 9.00 and 1.00, on (01437) 769048. Haverfordwest County: Kendall, Brace, Wayne Jones, Harris, Chiverton, Rob Jones, Truman, Adams, Griffiths, Loss, Barton.

Subs: Blain (for Adams, 72), Gilderdale, Mason. l The match sponsors were Talk Telephone Company and the match ball sponsors were Ashmole and Company. The mascots were Peter Scammell, of Haverfordwest VC School, a goalkeeper with Merlins Bridge Juniors, and Bradley Barrett of St Mark's VC School, a striker with Merlins Bridge Juniors.