Welsh League Division One:
Haverfordwest County 2
Caldicot Town 0
 

HAVERFORDWEST County returned to winning ways with victory over already relegated Caldicot Town at the Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium, and while The Bluebirds were still not firing on all cylinders they did enough to get the three points.

Indeed, in quiet first half there were relatively few scoring chances and the visitors’ mixture of young players and old-timers must have been pleased to have a clean sheet, having already lost 2-3 at home against The Bluebirds and having won just eight matches from 29 starts.

A plus for Haverfordwest was the fact 17 year old goalkeeper Nick Jones made a useful debut and linked well with his back four of Matthew Broome, Stefano Antoniazzi, Spencer Williams and skipper Sean Pemberton, who was his usual powerhouse self and posed a threat for corners slung into the danger zone by Lee Hudgell.

The best chances for Haverfordwest came in the final five minutes of the first period when Greg Walters released Rhys Dalling but he mishit a low shot and it was saved by Ashley Palmer – and a second Dalling half chance was blocked by a lunge from Caldicot skipper Matt James.

Whatever co-coach Sean Cresser said at half time certainly galvanised The Bluebirds, with Walters, Watts and Hudgell to the fore alongside Kristian Speake, who came on for Jamie Evans and immediately made an impact, heading a free kick from Williams against the near post.

Steffan Williams’ superb free kick was touched on to the bar by Palmer and a Hudgell free kick as saved low down by the busy Caldicot keeper.

At last the goal came to ease home frustrations and it was skipper Pemberton who powered a Matthew Broome free kick into the roof of the net.

Within three minutes the lead was doubled as Rhys Dalling fired home from inside the box and the closest that Caldicot came to scoring was a raking drive by Saf Supinski which flew over the bar.

So The Bluebirds’ win keeps them third, and they go to Port Talbot tonight to play a team they beat 6-2 a few weeks ago at the Meadow.

Haverfordwest County: Nick Jones, Matthew Broome, Sean Pemberton, Stefano Antoniazzi, Spencer Williams, Ricky Watts, Greg Walters, Lee Hudgell, Rhys Dalling, Jamie Evans, Steffan Williams. Subs: Kristian Speake, Nicky Palmer, Alfie Stottor, Fraser Finlay.

Caldicot Town: Ashley Palmer, Tyler Huggett, Ollie Smith, Jarred Patterson, Matt James, Tony Wallis, Liam Mead, Gavin Withers, Saf Supinski, Ben Smith, James Gidney. Sub: Mark Williams.

Referee: Ben Williamson.

Assistants: Pedr McMullen and Gareth Elliott.