Haverfordwest County 5 CROESYCEILIOG 3 After a cracking first half, the Bluebirds were pegged back in a more scrappy second period, but were good value eventually for the two-goal margin of victory.

Croesyceiliog currently lie fourth in the Second Division and, as winners of the league cup two seasons ago, would have been keen to leave a mark, while the Bluebirds, smarting from a few poor results, badly needed the confidence boost of a good and stylish home win.

The home side set out in formidable style and for the first half-hour were completely in charge. With a strong wind behind them they kept the ball on the deck. The visitors looked rather vulnerable down the middle and, with Jehu (West) man-of-the-match Richard Lewis and Lee Hudgell on the flanks, and the overlapping Ricky Watts and Dave Evans all threatening, it was one-way traffic.

Evans has the knack of playing a nice through pass inside the full-back in the manner of an old-style inside forward, and with Jamie Evans always ready to run on to it, the visitors’ defence had already been menaced three times before, in the 14th minute, Ross Jones won a very good ball out on the left and crossed for Lewis to drive in from close range. Six minutes later, Dave Evans was the provider for Jamie Evans to notch the second, before, a further six minutes later, the striker darted through for a very fine second goal for himself and a third for the side.

Suddenly, approaching the half-hour mark, the visitors rallied. Within a spell of five minutes, ex-Bluebird Jody Jenkins forced a fine save from Craig Morris and Christian Doidge shot against the post, before Jenkins was able to scramble a ball past Morris for Adam Goodenough to score from close range. Sadly, in the midst of this flurry, a bad leg injury saw Ross Jones stretchered off the pitch.

Then, in the final fifteen minutes of the half, the Blues resumed control and skipper Chris O’Sullivan darted sharply on to a through ball, foxed the defence out wide and drove in the fourth goal. The second half was a different matter. The Blues had played very well with the wind behind them, but adjusted less well to playing into it.

So now Croesyceiliog, who’d looked rattled at the end of the first half, maybe sensed there was the chance of a fight-back and began to press, with the powerful Doidge roaming down the right and the wily Jenkins looking for an opening.

Then, in the space of ten minutes, two clumsy challenges had given them penalties and Jenkins had converted both. But it was a pleasing feature of the game that the Bluebirds, whose strength is attacking, passing football, didn’t aim just to close up the game at this point, but looked for the fifth and clinching goal. It was duly delivered when Watts and Nicky Woodrow combined cleverly to set up Gary Taylor for a 25-yard drive and the most emphatic goal of the afternoon.

This Saturday, they entertain Taff’s Well, kick-off 2.30pm.

Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Dave Evans, Dale Griffiths, Kristian Griffiths, Richard Lewis, Chris O’Sullivan, Gary Taylor, Jamie Evans (Nicky Woodrow, 76), Ross Jones (Alex Squires, 30), Lee Hudgell (Steffan Davies, 60).