Blues gain a point (From Western Telegraph)

Blues gain a point

WELSHPOOL TOWN 1 Haverfordwest County 1 Not for the first time this season the Blues played an away game against a high-flying side, on a bumpy pitch unsuited to their flowing style, and came away with a good result.

Conditions at Maesydre were unwelcoming.

There was a strong wind blowing right across the pitch and the surface was extremely bobbly.

The Blues played the same side as has represented the club for weeks now, with the only exception being that Dylan Blain had been drawn back from his usual midfield berth to do a marking job.

It was the FBM-sponsored Bluebirds who did most of the early attacking.

Both Richie Adams and Tim Hicks menaced at moments although the final shot or cross wasn't convincing. At the other end, Lee Kendall saved brilliantly in a one-on-one after Deryn Brace's back pass had been intercepted.

The side was rewarded with a goal in the 16th minute when Nick Palmer fed Lee Hudgell out on the left. Hudge's run took him carving past his marker before his cross set up a scramble in the Welshpool box, and Adams' ball forward was squeezed over the line by Hicks.

Welshpool all but equalised a minute later when a corner caused a moment's bother in the Bluebirds box and Rob Jones sliced his clearance against the angle of bar and post. Five minutes later, Dean Rossiter picked up a throw from Blain, surged past a Welshpool defender and sent in a real stinger of a shot which pulled the best out of keeper McGuigan.

At this stage, Palmer was proving prominent in midfield, and Adams was running at the Lilywhites defence from both flanks, but most efforts foundered on the final ball.

The Blues came nearest to going back into the lead early in the second half, when Hicks went on a fine run across the penalty area and lashed in a screamer of a shot which crashed back off the bar with McGuigan nowhere.

The equaliser came on 52 minutes when the Blues defence didn't clear decisively, and the ball fell for ex-Newtown player Justin Wickham, who fed striker Steve Rogers. Rogers darted through and notched up his 18th goal of the season with a hard low shot.

From this point on it was the home side which had most of the pressure and the Bluebirds who really had to dig in for the point. Once again though they did this superbly.

The rain was pouring down by now and several of Welshpool's midfield felt the need to make the game more physical, but Rossiter made one splendid run back to put in a saving tackle, while man-of-the-match Kendall had one of his finest games for the club. At least three of his second half saves were stunning.

The Bluebirds' point, on an afternoon when Port Talbot lost, takes them three points clear in fifth place and they will be keen to hang on to that position, since the fifth-placed finishers in the league get exemption to the second round of the FAW Premier Cup.

The next game looks rather like the Blues' cup final for the season, as they entertain table-topping champions TNS on the Bridge Meadow on Friday evening, kick-off 7.30pm.

The Llansantffraid side have a formidable record and would love to go through the season unbeaten.

They look odds on to win the league handsomely, but the Bluebirds have beaten clubs like Llanelli and Welshpool already this season, and the corresponding match last season was drawn. Both sides really will be up for a tough game.

Haverfordwest County: Kendall, Brace, Hudgell, Blain, Wyn Thomas, Jones, O'Sullivan, Hicks, Adams, Rossiter, Palmer. Subs: Catlin, Owain Thomas, Christopher.