Welsh League, Division One

Penybont 2

Haverfordwest County 5

A RICHIE Lewis hat-trick was an important feature of a game in which the Bluebirds hit five for the third time this season.

Giving a début to keeper Kerry Nicholas and playing with Tim Hicks back in the central striker’s role, the Bluebirds were the better side throughout. They took the lead in the 10th minute when a Luke Borelli cross drew Tim Hicks and two defenders to the near post but spun through to the far post where Richie Lewis drove in powerfully from an acute angle.

Penybont equalised soon afterwards when a very deep cross from their right evaded Nicholas and was headed in at the far post by Jonathan Hood. But Borelli, architect of the first goal, was the scorer of a second and the Blues were back in the lead. They consolidated late in the first half when a looping cross from Ricky Watts started a melee in the Penybont box and Lewis was able to stab home his second.

Lewis was clearly feeling an improvement of the injury which had kept him out of the game with Aberdare and completed his hat-trick in the second half when he got to Steffan Williams’ ball in from the right. Penybont rallied sufficiently for ex-Bluebird Robbie Walters to score their second, but sub Joey Leahy notched the Bluebirds’ fifth with a fine goal and a decisive victory was sealed.

Cambrian & Clydach had gone to second place in the table with a mid-week win, but Taff’s Well defeat on Friday night means that the situation in the top five is very fluid. Last night (Tuesday) the Blues travelled to play Taff’s Well and return to the Conygar Bridge Meadow on Saturday when they entertain sixth-placed Goytre, with a 2.30pm kick-off.

Haverfordwest County: Kerry Nicholas, Ricky Watts, Antonio Facciuto, Sam Rodon, Dale Griffiths, Luke Borelli (Declan Carroll, 75), Jack Britton (Chris O’Sullivan, 70), Sean Pemberton, Steffan Williams, Tim Hicks, Richie Lewis (Joey Leahy, 67).