Dafabet Welsh Premier

Haverfordwest County 0

Newtown 1

THE Bluebirds lost this game in the most disappointing way of all, since they dominated for long stretches but could not score and finally conceded a late winner.

Things were sent off to a bad start when a handball in the area by Tom Goodwin gifted them a 2nd minute penalty but Luke Borrelli's spot kick was a weak one and was parried away by keeper David Jones. Just eight minutes later Borrelli made amends with a splendid run and dribble through to the by-line and pulled the ball back to Jack Christopher but it reached the striker maybe just a foot or two behind the spot he might have liked and he scooped his shot over the bar.

For the rest of the first half, reflecting maybe that they could so easily have been two goals up, the Blues still had about two-thirds of the play.

Newtown were quick to break but Sam Rodon and Sean Pemberton controlled a defence which seemed well able to contain the Robins' attackers.

At the other end a fine cross from Spencer Williams saw first Christopher, then Borrelli, and finally Declan Carroll being squeezed out. There was a good passage of play five minutes later when a series of crosses, most of them from Williams, had the Robins' defence stretching.

This positive Bluebirds' play continued into the second half with Carroll pushing forward on a number of mazy runs, Christopher winning more and more ball in the air and all of the attackers looking sharp. Carroll shot just wide, and a six-man move sent Borrelli through to the by-line, but he was offside. Ricky Watts and Kieran Howard played Nicky Palmer in and he shot just over.

Newtown were still very active in attack as well and kept pressing, but some of their finishing was weak and Luke Boundford and Jason Oswell shot well wide. A rash tackle by Oswald on Borrelli stirred a good deal of heat but referee Morgan was content with a talking-to.

The Bluebirds last strong attack saw another good Carroll run down the right, ending with a shot which scorched into Jones's chest. And then came the desperately unlucky pay-off when Oswald was able to convert a quick chance in the 86th minute and the Blues were left to rue some early misses.

Wayne Jones and his camp will be left bitterly disappointed with the result but will need to keep in mind the quality of a gritty display, right through the team and not least from younger players like Spencer Williams and Greg Walters, both of them barely graduated from the Youth team.

For the moment the Blues have slipped to 12th place and will want now to turn displays into points, starting, we hope, with the home game against Connah's Quay next Saturday, 14th November.

The Ball sponsor was Carl Potter and the Programme Sponsor was Steve Briers.

Haverfordwest County: Scott James, Ricky Watts, Spencer Williams, Sean Pemberton, Sam Rodon, Nicky Palmer, Kieran Howard (9. Jordan Follows 87'), Greg Walters, Declan Carroll, Jack Christopher (John Roberts, 80) Luke Borrelli (Steffan Williams 74'). Sub not used: Glen Fiteni.