Bluebirds move into fourth place (From Western Telegraph)

Bluebirds move into fourth place

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier CONNAH'S QUAY NOMADS 2 Haverfordwest County 2

The Blues will be disappointed that an 88th minute penalty should have taken two points from them, but defeats for Bangor and Carmarthen do mean that this hard-won point is enough to catapult them up to fourth place.

The Eddie's Snooker Bar-sponsored outfit had made the very long trek to the Dees-side Stadium to find themselves greeted by a bumpy pitch, a high wind, and a Nomads team who, whatever their league position, are never an easy proposition.

The Blues had to face some early Nomads pressure, although one neat move by Deryn Brace, Nick Palmer and Colin Loss did threaten.

The most dangerous Nomads attacker was the experienced Stuart Rain, who twice went close. Lee Brown was then pushed in the back and a free kick awarded but Loss' effort was saved.

Keeper Bryan saved well from Brown and Tim Hicks, before Wyn Thomas sent another long ball through to Hicks and the striker was crowded out.

The Blues were now getting well into the game and there was a scramble in the Nomads box after Brace had played a ball in. Thomas took the first of a series of knocks in this encounter.

Phil Catlin came on for the injured Loss before a neat attack featuring some clever interplay by Richie Adams, Lee Hudgell and Brown.

A strong Nomads attack saw Lee Kendall save extremely well from Griffiths, and a rather dour first half was over.

The Blues came out blazing for the second half and in the first five minutes Hicks had twice gone close and then fed Brown whose effort was saved by Bryan.

A goal looked a matter of time and it came when the ubiquitous Hicks made progress down the left and crossed a long deep ball for Dylan Blain and Palmer to converge upon it at the far post and for Palmer to chip past the keeper.

Hudgell then went on a mazy dribble but was crowded out in the penalty area, but then the Nomads bench announced their intentions by bringing on as sub the arch-attacker Tommy Mutton and going for an all-out 4-3-3 formation.

Almost at once Blain was forced into very good defence to keep Mutton penned in, and there was one excellent saving tackle from Palmer, before the Blues made the perfect riposte by extending their lead.

Adams pressed the defence, dispossessed Chris Williams and darted through from 35 yards out before cracking home for a superb solo goal.

Twice Blain was able to keep Mutton at bay before, under increasing Nomads pressure, the striker was able to pull a goal back. It was now a case of torrid defence for the Bluebirds as the Nomads steamed forward and it needed a couple of well-timed Kendall punches to keep them out.

The goal that gave Nomads a point was controversial to say the least. Hicks was clear on goal and had gone four or five yards after springing the Nomads defence, when referee Woodthorpe pulled him back for handball.

The free kick was booted straight upfield and, in a scramble in the Blues box, Brace was adjudged to have fouled Darren Williams. It was appropriate that the Nomads best player Stuart Rain, should have been the man to slot the penalty home.

On Friday the Blues are away to Aberystwyth in the quarter final of the Welsh Cup. The club is hoping to run a bus for the 7.30pm kick-off and can be contacted in the mornings on 01437 769048.

Haverfordwest County: Kendall; Brace, Hudgell, Palmer, Thomas, Barnhouse, Blain, Hicks, Brown, Loss (Catlin, 15), Adams. Subs not used: Rossiter, Woodrow.

BLUEBIRDS TOTE: No winners this week the numbers were 14-43-48. The prize money has gone upto £1,500.