No New Year's cheer for Blues (From Western Telegraph)

No New Year's cheer for Blues

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier CARMARTHEN TOWN 4 HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY 2 Carmarthen were always slightly the quicker and sharper side in this New Year's Day derby, but in the end the game hinged on two refereeing decisions.

Few can really quibble with referee Hames' decision to banish Wyn Thomas in the 35th minute for a second bout of dissent, but there must be all sorts of question marks hanging over the award of the penalty which took Carmarthen into a near-unassailable 4-2 lead.

The Blues got the best of starts in the fifth minute when Adams, who appeared to be hemmed in by the corner flag, turned his man on a sixpence and crossed immaculately to the waiting Tim Hicks, who thumped a gleeful header into the roof of Tony Pennock's net.

And then Carmarthen seemed to get on top. The Blues defence seemed to lack their usual understanding (maybe indeed they actually weren't hearing one another in the high wind) and Lee Kendall had to scurry to a couple of hasty back passes.

Then, in the 11th minute, Wyn Thomas went for a corner with Craig Lima and was unlucky enough to head into his own net.

The Blues made some inroads in the later stages of the first half, notably when Adams was very close to a well-flighted ball from Palmer.

But the pressure was mainly at Kendall's end and the Blues keeper was under real pressure in the high wind as Town players pumped high balls up to his six yard line.

Then, in the 35th minute Wyn Thomas was sent off and, although Deryn Brace was clearly aggrieved, there must be the feeling that an experienced player like Thomas really shouldn't go for sucker dismissals like that in successive matches.

'Kends' pulled off one fine save from Nathan Cottrell but was beaten when a shot from Neil Smothers cannoned back off a post and Lima cracked home the rebound.

Minutes later, the Blues dejection eased. Kendall had on balance coped quite well with dipping balls into the box but Carmarthen's Pennock was found out in the 44th minute when Wayne Jones curled in a corner from the right and it found its way directly into the net.

As the second half started, Carmarthen began to play the ball fast and wide to make the most of the numerical advantage and the Blues defence and midfield were badly stretched, with Hicks and Hudgell left up front, chasing valiantly but in vain.

Town went into the lead in the 63rd minute when Richard Carter ran through from the halfway line, and shot in low and hard from 20 yards.

A minute later there could so nearly have been another equalizer when Hudgell slipped the leash and sent in a low cross which evaded Hicks by inches.

The penalty which settled matters really had a 5.9 look about it, but referee Hames chose to take the view of an assistant whose alignment perhaps didn't fully give him the distance between attacker and defender. But a penalty it was and Gary Lloyd made absolutely no mistake.

There was little way back now, and just time for a sub appearance from Nicky Woodrow, making his first appearance in an Eddie's Snooker Bar shirt.

lNext Saturday the Bluebirds entertain high-flying Caersws, kick-off 2.30 pm.