Algieri's stunning goal clinches it (From Western Telegraph)

Algieri's stunning goal clinches it

Vauxhall Masterfit Welsh Premier HAVERFORDWEST COUNTY 2 AFAN LIDO 1

The Bluebirds finally laid the Lido bogey after a torrid and often ill-tempered game which was redeemed in its closing stages by a stunning individual goal from Niko Algieri.

For just a few sparkling minutes at the outset, it looked as if the Eddie's Snooker Bar-sponsored Bluebirds would take their visitors apart.

In the very first minute Richie Adams went on a surging run down the Blues' right and then, in the fourth minute, he made his way to the penalty area once again and floated in two lovely crosses, the first being knocked back out to him, but the second finding the head of Tim Hicks who flicked in for his 23rd goal of the season.

But the team just couldn't seem to consolidate this form. Lido are a tough scrapping outfit who always seem to give the Blues trouble and it really seemed that the home side allowed themselves to be pulled down to their visitors' level.

It didn't help matters that referee Steve Hames seemed too ready to dish out yellow cards from the start, and in time the game did get ill-tempered.

This was a disappointing feature since Hames is an experienced official who has many internationals on his CV, but he won't mark this down as one of his better evenings.

One bizarre result of all this was that the whole Bluebirds central midfield had found their way into the referee's notebook within 20 minutes. Nick Palmer was yellow-carded in the 12th minute, Dean Rossiter in the 17th and Dylan Blain in the 18th.

Then, 15 minutes later, no sooner had Phil Catlin come on as sub for the ailing Lee Brown, than he too had succumbed to the yellow peril that lurked in Hames' notebook.

This obviously made the Blues less effective as a ball-winning force and they didn't mount too many good attacks in the first half Lido for their part huffed and puffed a lot without seriously troubling Lee Kendall, until the time of their equaliser in the 44th minute, when Paul Evans headed in from Sacha Walters' free kick.

Dai Barnhouse picked up the Bluebirds' fifth yellow card in the 48th minute but from then on it was Lido's tum as, through the second half, Evans, Walters, Pridham, Driscoll and McCreach all collected yellows before ex-Bluebird Chris Piper was red-carded in the 88th minute for a heavy challenge on Adams.

Meanwhile, what about the football? It has to be said that the Blues had much the better of a scrappy second half. One of Lido's weaknesses in recent years has been their finishing and this fault was glaringly obvious on Friday.

Kendall was barely troubled and one long-range effort after another blazed wildly over the bar.

At the other end the Bluebirds did run things much closer as Lee Hudgell in particular caused the Reds bother with some quite searching runs.

Sometimes perhaps his crossing might have been more effectively floated rather than delivered on the deck, but this was still a fine display, as was that of Adams on the right.

We are surely seeing the benefits now of the very shrewd managership on Deryn Brace's part which has given Hudgell the time and the confidence to mature into a front line Welsh Premier attacker.

The Blues deserved a winning goal in an otherwise poor game, but when it came it was worth the admission money on its own.

Niko Algieri picked up a loose ball in the centre circle and went on a carving run right into the heart of the Lido defence. He beat them for pace and he beat them for control and he finally went almost to the corner of the penalty area before crashing his left foot shot away to the keeper's left hand. It deserved to win the game and it did.

Match sponsors were Adie Haworth's Withybush Coach Works, whose choice as man of the match was Niko Algieri, although Richie Adams must have run him very close. Programme sponsors were Neil Finlay Cars and the match ball sponsor was Mr John Munt.

The Blues were due to play Cwmbran last night (Tuesday) and are then at home next Friday, March 25th, to Newtown, kick-of 7.30.

BLUEBIRDS TOTE: Again no winners the numbers were 6-18-33. £3,000 up for grabs in this week's draw.