Dafabet Welsh Premier

Haverfordwest County 1

Aberystwyth Town 3

THREE-one was about the right result for a game in which Aber had the edge and in which a couple of Blues’ rallies were never quite sharp enough for them to impose their authority on the match.

The Seasiders’ raiding right-winger Geoff Kellaway always posed a threat and although both Spencer Williams and Kristian Speake, who marked him in successive halves, were generally able to keep him turning inside, he was able to get clear in the 2nd minute of the game and cross from near the by-line for Chris Venables to apply a crisp finish for a good, uncomplicated goal.

There was a second and similar goal for Aber in the 22nd minute, this time when a corner was whipped in and Jonathan Evans darted in to drive home.

Up to that point the Blues had been able to string very little together, but the 30th minute saw Luke Borrelli lining up a free kick at just the distance out from which he had scored a spectacular winner at Park Avenue. His shot warmed up a defender as it hit the wall but there was no real danger to Mike Lewis’s goal.

But this seemed to pep up the Blues a little and for the remaining 15 minutes of the half they pressed more. Jason Bertorelli saw his shot crash down off the bar after a fine run by Borrelli. Greg Walters’ lob was just plucked out from below the bar, and Bertorelli shot just wide.

That still left them two goals adrift at half-time, but within a minute of the re-start they had pulled one back. Ricky Watts went on a fine run down the right and once his cross had turned the defence Walters was able to hammer in left-footed.

The Blues followed this with a burst of attacking but all too soon Aber had pushed their way back on to the front foot and once Evans had poached his second and his side’s third in the 57th minute, the outlook dimmed. There was another rally in the last quarter of an hour but Aber are too streetwise an outfit to give much away in such situations. One chip-shot from Walters stretched the keeper and shots from Bertorelli and Jordan Follows went wide but there was no way back.

The Blues have now played 2 of their 10 games in the Play-off Conference and have of course played the top two sides, garnering just the one point. They have two games apiece with lower-placed Rhyl and Port Talbot to come, and the first of these six-pointers will be next Saturday when they travel to play Rhyl, kicking off at 5.15pm.

The Ball sponsor was Mr Steven Allen (father of Liverpool and Wales midfielder Joe). The Programme sponsors were Conygar. The Hospitality suite was taken by the club directors.

Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Spencer Williams, Kristian Speake (46'), Dale Griffiths, Sam Rodon, Kieran Howard, Tomas Wellington (50'), Greg Walters, Nicky Palmer, Jordan Follows (75'), Declan Carroll, Luke Borrelli, Jason Bertorelli. Subs not used: Sean Pemberton, Alex Connell (gk).