Welsh League Division One:
Haverfordwest County 2
Taff's Well 1

THE first half gave us a typically fast, exciting and physical Welsh League game capped by two fine Bluebirds goals, but the second saw the visitors penalised regularly for dissent but scoring a fine goal themselves and the Blues having to hang on for the win, writes Robert Nisbet.

The Bluebirds had had to re-shuffle their defence slightly with Tim Hicks and Kristian Speake being drafted into the back line where both played very well. But the Wellmen were always going to pose a few problems with their winger Marcus Jones looking particularly dangerous down the left.

The sharpest early attacks came from the Blues and they came close in the 10th minute when Greg Walters sighted Josh Gould off his line and sent in a 45-yard dipper which very nearly swung over the keeper. But at the other end, Taff’s Well went close when a cross ran across the face of the Blues’ goal.

The Blues took the lead in the 17th minute when a neat Steff Williams flick found Walters whose pass sent Joe Leahy in to finish crisply and accurately.

Still the Wellmen looked dangerous on the break and after Williams and Leahy had threatened again, a spate of attacks saw both Hicks and Sam Rodon forced to head off the line. Then the Well’s Tom Burridge sent a header crashing against the bar. But the Blues deserved to go further in front when, in the 40th minute, Steff Williams latched on to a ball out of defence to drive past Gould.

There was an ominous incident after the half-time whistle when referee Teifion Cook called over two Taff’s Well players and cautioned them for dissent. A similar theme dominated the second half. Referee Cook, who had a fine game, was clearly determined not to tolerate dissent and was now forced into action. After Taff’s Well had had slightly the upper hand in the opening second-half exchanges, Matthew Broome was penalised for a poor tackle on Marcus Jones, who then complained bitterly to the referee. Since Jones had been the Wellmen’s (and one of the game’s) best players up to that point, this was a sad event, but now his repeated argument earned him an unavoidable yellow card. He then regrettably let his emotions get the better of him and after two more wild tackles on Broome in the next few minutes, received his second yellow.

As often happens though, the Wellmen were so incensed by what they saw as an injustice that they came firing back with their best burst of form of the afternoon and in the 70th minute Warren Jones sent in a stinger of a 20-yarder to pull a goal back. The Blues were forced to dig in now and did so, once again showing they have the ability to graft out the wins in tough, even torrid, encounters.

The Bluebirds, now third in the table, travel to Briton Ferry Llansawel next Friday evening and return to the Conygar Bridge Meadow when they entertain Cambrian & Clydach on Saturday, October 28.
 

Haverfordwest County: Conah McFenton, Matthew Broome, Kristian Speake, Sean Pemberton, Sam Rodon, Tim Hicks, Ricky Watts, Greg Walters, Joe Leahy (Nicky Palmer, 82), Dan Williams, Steff Williams (Declan Carroll, 86). Subs not used: Leon Luby, Matt Delaney.