Welsh League, Division One:

Haverfordwest County 2

Taff’s Well 1

THE Bluebirds saw off a good Taff’s Well side with a combination of some quickfire passing, solid defence and a lovely brace of goals from the quicksilver Jordan Follows, writes Robert Nisbet.

The Blues gave a début to ex-Aberdare midfielder Lewis Holder, who made a solid start, with other pleasing performances from Antonio Facciuto, Jack Britton, Nicky Palmer and the ever-reliable Sam Rodon.

Taff’s Well had languished in the lower half of the table before this game, but their form from the start suggested that they will be right up among the pace-setters again this season. For over half an hour the sides exchanged attacks with no one clear chance. The visitors were prepared to shoot from 20 and 30 yards, while the Blues tried to build quick and often intricate attacks through the middle. The Wellmen’s Clayton Green shot well over and was then flagged offside before Sam Small shot wide when he might have done better. Rico Zulkairnan missed a chance but then in the 35th minute came a real threat when Rodon did superbly to head a corner out from beneath the bar. Then Darren Griffiths twice threatened, first of all forcing his way through before shooting wide and then beating two defenders and feeding Ricky Watts before getting into the area and having his header from Watts’ cross scooped off the line.

The Taff’s Well goal, in first-half injury time, was almost an anti-climax as a poor back pass left Craig Morris floundering and left Small with the chance to jink past him for the goal.

With that goal to pull back the Blues pushed forward in the second half, and it was the Wellman who tended now to attack on the break. It was as well that Rodon, Dale Griffiths and their defence were alert since the Taff’s Well attack is a fluent one. Then, as the tension built, the visitors were hit by an equalizer in the 72nd minute. Declan Carroll dribbled into the area and set up a real pressure-cooker situation. Passes whipped back and fore across Rob Bloor’s goal until Carroll finally slipped it wide for Follows to curl an exquisite shot past the keeper. Within four minutes Follows had poached the winner when Watts’ break moved the ball on to Nicky Palmer and Follows shot in from Palmer’s fine pass.

As the Wellmen rushed forward in a desperate search for an equalizer, the Blues defence held solid and Morris capped another fine display with a lovely tip-over under pressure in the very last minute.

With Penybont and Cardiff Met both held to draws, the Bluebirds consolidated their spot at the top of the table. Next Saturday they travel to play Pontardawe.

The programme sponsor was Mr Lawrence Hourahane of Tenby. The match ball sponsor was Mr Ben Childs of Caldey Island Estates, Tenby.

Haverfordwest County: Craig Morris, Ricky Watts, Antonio Facciuto, Sam Rodon, Dale Griffiths, Nicky Palmer, Jack Britton, Lewis Holder (Greg Walters, 68), Declan Carroll (Liam Fawcett, 88), Jordan Follows, Darren Griffiths (Sam Wilson, 80).

Subs not used: Spencer Williams, Dan Evans (g/k).