Delaney drives Goodwick to vital victory (From Western Telegraph)

Delaney drives Goodwick to vital victory

Pembrokeshire League Division One: Goodwick United 3 Narberth 0

Three second-half goals without reply put Goodwick United's title chances back on track.

But this latest set-back seems to have ended the Bluebirds' aspirations for the season.

They will look back on the fact that Goodwick keeper Carl Woodhouse produced four copybook saves, two in each half. The result may have been a little different if they had been as clinical as Sean O'Connor's side.

Goodwick had won 1-0 at Jesse Road just two weeks earlier and this tussle looked as if it might be decided by a single goal as the teams tended to cancel each other out and the scoresheet was still blank at the break.

But Narberth had the clearer-cut chances as Jamie Bradfield brushed the outside of the post with a speculative mini-lob, Richard Nash fired wide of the near post and then blasted wide of the far post with a 25-yard volley. Harry Allen forced Woodhouse to fling himself to his right - and then the keeper twisted the other way to deny Wayne Howells.

At the other end, James Dean's appeals for a goal were turned down by referee Adrian Wilson as the ball was cleared off the line, Delaney had a left-foot shot saved low down by Adi Jones, stand-in keeper for the on-holiday Huw Davies, and Dan Williams failed to make the most of some good work by Barry Hayes and Dean.

Goodwick took the lead eight minutes into the second half when Williams drilled cross eluded a heap of bodies until Burrows popped up at the far post to touch the ball home.

Barry Hayes, who had earlier been felled in the only minor incident of the match, set up goal number two as he put Steve Evans away and the sub's nicely-weighted pass allowed Delaney to scream a shot across the face of the goal and into the far corner as Jones looked helplessly on.

Narberth had a clear-cut chance to reduce the deficit as a Blackford clearance was charged down by Raff Barnett and as referee Wilson turned away appeals for hand-ball it was left to Woodhouse to spread himself well so that he could push Barnett's shot away from danger - and followed up with a similar save from Bradfield.

These misses were made even more costly since Goodwick switched quickly to the other end and Burrows turned provider as Delaney's shot was partially blocked by Jones but still had enough power to roll into the net.

It ensured all three points for Goodwick and Delaney might have had a hat-trick but fired over the bar - but it mattered little as the final whistle saw them three goals to the good, and able to close the gap on their opponents and Merlins Bridge, whilst still having games in hand on both sides.